ME-SEN: 'A Slow-Rolling Disaster': Inside the Implosion of the Platner Campaign

[QueerDuck]

1. The dangerous intersection of flattery and hubris.

... [Katz] told Mr. Platner he was “the one,” a “hero of the movement,” “a historical figure” who could be “leading a revolution,” according to half a dozen people with knowledge of their conversations.

That excerpt is incredibly revealing, isn't it? There is a very specific, volatile personality type that this level of sycophancy appeals to.

Healthy political confidence is necessary, but buying into the hyperbole that you are "the chosen one" or a "historical figure destined to lead a revolution" suggests a profound lack of self-awareness. It points to a deep-seated messiah complex.

When a candidate lacks the internal filters to reject that kind of absurd flattery, they quickly begin to believe they are utterly bulletproof. It explains the staggering sense of invulnerability we saw throughout this campaign, doesn't it?

They strutted around with an absolute conviction that they could say anything, fabricate any material reality, and hide egregious personal behavior without ever facing accountability.