Leaders behaving like sociopaths/self-centred jerks

After the actions of Gaddafi and people like him, highlighted in recent times with their refusal to back down even in the face of their nations being torn apart, it occurs to me that people with great amounts of power seem to behave almost like sociopaths; nothing but themselves and their immediate family count. This is why I say almost like sociopaths, Even Evil Has Loved Ones after all.

The question is, why? If Gaddafi had stood down at the start of the conflict, he would have at least have been lauded as being the man who does that instead of pulling the country into a bloody civil war. Instead he opens up on his own civilians, and brings foreign mercenaries into his own country against them.

So the real question is this; what causes a leader in a powerful position like dictator to become so detached from their own people that they put their own power beyond everything, even, sometimes, their own well-being? Do they believe they are right? Are they just stupid? Or do sociopaths or the insensitive to others have a habit of getting to the top?

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

Usually, I think it's underestimating the problem. Thoughts like "I'll just crush this rebellion in three days, things will be back to normal and nothing of value will have been lost".

Then the Sunk Cost Fallacy, fear or simply spite sinks in...

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."

Had he stood down, he would probably have gotten himself imprisoned for crimes against humanity. Perhaps he could have managed to wrangle an exile; but once he was not in power anymore and his crimes became known, who would have even bothered to defend him?

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Point.

That is a problem. When your power is all that is keeping you from the gallows... its sort of not a surprise that these sorts of people do anything in their power to hold onto their position.

Maybe there should be an international war criminal kidnapping service?

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

"So the real question is this; what causes a leader in a powerful position like dictator to become so detached from their own people that they put their own power beyond everything, even, sometimes, their own well-being?"

When a person has massive, unaccountable power over the lives of millions of people they will never see or hear of...

"Do they believe they are right? Are they just stupid? Or do sociopaths or the insensitive to others have a habit of getting to the top?"

When it comes to dictators if I had to guess they would be much more likely to have a domineering, authoritarian personality in the first place than the average person. I think that's also true to a lesser degree with 'democratic' politicians.

"Had Mother Nature been a real parent, she would have been in jail for child abuse and murder." -Nick Bostrom

Gaddafi if he stood down couldn't be prosecuted for war crimes because he hadn't committed any, nor has he committed any during the civil war.

edited 12th Apr '11 7:29:26 AM by izumoshep

"Si vis pacem, para bellum"

Could someone please counter Izumoshep with a source stating reliably that Gaddafi has committed something that is tantamount to a war crime?

I'm not denying (or contesting) the point either way, but something conclusive to knock the doubt out of the situation would be helpful.

As it is, I've unearthed this. And I'm sure if someone goes back and digs through the Egyptian/Middle East Protest thread they'll find... well, something surely?

The issue is that Gadaffi ordered or had ordered the shooting of peaceful protestors. I've also seen eyewitness accounts of people being dragged off, and heard of soldiers who refused to fire on civilians being burned alive. Do you dispute the illegality of these acts, Izumoshep? (Now I am contesting the point, my early uncertainty was due to a lack of evidence at the start of this post being to hand.)

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

Libya is not a member of the ICC, nor did it sign the Rome Statute.

"Si vis pacem, para bellum"

Tough. International law is just that, international law. It is not bendable, it is the measure by which the vast majority of the worlds countries judge behaviour by leaders. Now I'm not saying its not without hypocrisy, or not flawed in its prosecution, but those are problems with its enforcement, not its content.

edited 12th Apr '11 7:46:48 AM by GameChainsaw

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

Here.

Also, note that Rwanda did not sign the Rome Statute either, and an ad-hoc tribunal was created to judge these crimes - the ICC did not even exist at the time, in fact.

edited 12th Apr '11 7:53:31 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

It doesn't work like that. International Law is made up of treaties, if a country doesn't sign that treaty or ratify it, than that treaty has no affect in that nation despite what you want.

The rebels have to win in order for that to occur, otherwise no can do anything about it.

edited 12th Apr '11 7:54:52 AM by izumoshep

"Si vis pacem, para bellum"

My point exactly. And that's the reason why Gaddafi cannot step down and allow the rebels to "win".

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Pinochet peacefully stepped down in 1990 according to Wikipedia. He probably regretted it after his arrest and the start of his trial...

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."

Has there ever been a single instance when a person brought into one of those trials was not convicted and sent away forever?

Well, either way, even if a leader is a sociopath or a self centered jerk, as long as he stands by his beliefs, I can respect that a bit.

I don't endorse their behaviors, but I can respect people who stand by what they say.

edited 12th Apr '11 1:21:35 PM by NickTheSwing

Sign on for this After The End Fantasy RP.

It wasn't long ago that everybody was cracking jokes about Gadaffi being the most tame of the middle east overlords.

Dictators can't stick around for too long before the population simply gets bored of them. It was true of Rome, and it's true today. They can dye their hair jet-black and wallpaper their countries with young portraits, but eventually they can only maintain their rule through plain violence.

I'm a skeptical squirrel

They can do this because they don't think of themselves as leaders, but as owners. That's what being an evil overlord is all about, treating other people as your personal playthings.

Regarding the ICC, remember that it has universal jurisdiction, meaning that certain acts are considered so abominable they aren't merely crimes against whoever was specifically victimized, but qualify as crimes against all of humanity, and as such can be punished by anyone, no matter who committed them or where they were done.

Eric,

Reminds me of this article on Cracked.

I was hoping this thread would be more about power and psychology.

edited 13th Apr '11 2:07:17 AM by ViralLamb

Power corrupts. Knowledge is Power. Study hard. Be evil.