7000/19520
Woo hoo. Seven Thousand consecutive entries. Getting close to 10,000 now. Only about ten more years. Will you still need me, will you still read me, when I’m 64?
And I have completed a super dry-January. 396 days without a drink. I've got to at least get to 400. Or 500. Actually let's aim for 10,000 for that too. I look forward to finally drinking my nice whisky in my eighties.
Of all the personality types that I have never really understood, the arrogant prick who only thinks about themselves, openly lies, is rude and unpleasant to others, but who somehow still remains popular and whose trangressions are ignored or forgiven is the most confusing. I don’t like them. Why do so many people feel differently?
Maybe it’s that people don’t want the focus of the person’s ire to be directed to them and so are just happy to see someone else take up the slack. And the abuser will hate being criticised (though they spend all their own time criticising others) and will come down like a tonne of bricks on anyone who dares challenge them. So that also makes people scared to speak up.
Usually I suppose they are able to hide their lies from all but those closest to them and their veneer of charm and pretence at caring about others stands up OK, but eventually they run out of road and people start to see them for what they are. Though I still think our Prime Minister is going to wriggle his way out of this one. Eventually he will fall.
There’s a fair number of comedians I’ve encountered who have similar attributes (there’s been a couple of times that I’ve given very minor criticisms about big comics, usually about one joke and they have then sent their supporters after me, or written books in which I get raped). But at least they are comedians and it doesn’t really matter if they are self-regarding to the point of madness because they’re just trying to make people laugh. When the person is in charge of the country and making decisions that will affect us all, but are only motivated to help themselves, then that’s pretty dark.
It’s fascinating to see someone try (and maybe succeed) to keep up a lie that has long ago fallen apart and the mental gymnastics that their supporters will indulge in to carry on backing them.
Perhaps it’s just that nearly everyone is a liar who is mostly concerned with themselves and so having someone like that in charge justifies their behaviour and if the behaviour is challenged then that means they also risk being exposed.
I genuinely don’t get it though. To the point where I think the problem might be with me. Do I have some kind of personality disorder that means I am unable to be charmed by liars or to find chancers charming and fun. There seems to be more disapproval directed towards those who complain about the behaviour of those cheeky rogues who only care about themselves than there is towards the rogues. Come on, be cool, let this person keep on bullying people or having people beaten up, or stealing or treating people who’ve crossed them like shit.
Or maybe I am one of the guys and just don’t acknowledge it. I do steal pick and mix and boast about it, with no thought for the victims of my crimes.
Anyway the reaction of the backbenchers who tried to look like they were being tough by suggesting they could bring Johnson down, but saying they would give him another chance if he was good this time - even though he’s a man who will clearly never change his ways - is the most bizarre thing I’ve seen. We’re too scared to bring you down, so instead we will let you carry on, with a warning, that common sense would indicate is going to be ignored. A few people compared it to people staying in a toxic relationship with a partner. And it’s exactly that. They enjoy their moment of temporarily having the upper hand, but do nothing with it and actually hand the momentum back to the person who never liked them, is using them and will happily throw them under a bus if it gives them any future advantage.
The fact that it’s not even sophisticated - occasionally narcissists are a bit better at hiding their tracks than Johnson - is what I find most amazing. Johnson is a man who has got away with everything his whole life and left a trial of destruction behind him. He’s going to blaze through our country, leaving us looking like we’ve been hit by a hurricane and then he’ll have an amazing post-politics career as a writer and entertainer.
You’ve seen it happen in your own life on a smaller scale. And maybe you’re as confused as I am as to why it’s allowed to keep on happening.
I am pretty good at seeing through people like this, but even I think that on some level it’s my fault.
On some level it is our fault.
