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Behind the Donald’s Attitude

During the past few days the GOP presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has been explaining why all the sacrifices he has made – creating thousands of jobs(?) – is on a par with that of Khizr and Ghazala Khan. Their son, Army Capt. Humayun Khan, was killed by a suicide car bomb in 2004. He was 27.
As a result, Trump’s stand on the issue has drawn almost universal condemnation, even from leaders of his own party, although none have actually withdrawn their support. Apparently he has not learned a fundamental rule of self-preservation: When you have dug yourself into a hole, stop digging.
This is not the first time that Trump has found himself at odds with the general sentiment; as a result, I have been inspired to look for an explanation for his apparent obliviousness to other people’s concerns and feelings. And I think I have found one.
According to the American Psychological Association's (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), individuals with Narcissistic Personality Disorder have most or all of the following symptoms, typically without commensurate qualities or accomplishments:
  1. Grandiosity with expectations of superior treatment from others
  2. Fixated on fantasies of power, success, intelligence, attractiveness, etc.
  3. Self-perception of being unique, superior and associated with high-status people and institutions
  4. Needing constant admiration from others
  5. Sense of entitlement to special treatment and to obedience from others
  6. Exploitative of others to achieve personal gain
  7. Unwilling to empathize with others' feelings, wishes, or needs
  8. Intensely jealous of others and the belief that others are equally jealous of them
  9. Pompous and arrogant demeanor
If the shoe fits,…
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My books, “There Are Only Seven Jokes” and “The Spirit Runs Through It” are available in paperback or Kindle at Amazon.


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