Tuesday, November 2, 2010

I always suspected that you have to be crazy to run for office

Well, not crazy, but there are certain types of personalities who may be more likely to seek office.

Excerpt: “What we do know about these people, says Dietz president of the forensic consulting firm Park Dietz & Associates, Inc., is that they may often play two general qualities: extroversion and narcissism.”

Excerpt:

Narcissistic traits are more problematic, of course. These can include a grandiose sense of self-importance, a preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited power, and believing he or she is “special.”

Narcissistic people may require excessive admiration, and possess senses of entitlement, envy, and arrogance. They also tend to exploit others and lack empathy. Narcissism may be more prevalent among pols than in the general population, Dietz says, but, he adds, it’s at least as prevalent among news anchors, Hollywood stars, and top trial lawyers as well. “It’s hard to stay humble at the top,” he says.

“Narcissism helps drive achievement and is also fed by uninterrupted success.” Politicians who are exposed for corruption may have their own problems, possibly antisocial traits such as deceptiveness, failure to plan ahead, recklessness, irresponsibility, and lack of remorse, says Dietz. “Most of the politicians who are exposed for corruption have prominent narcissistic and/or antisocial traits.”

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