Hubris, I think, is the inevitable consequence of people in positions of higher social status neglecting their main duty, which is service to those with lower social status. I wonder if a cultural obsession with prestige itself over what that prestige represents produces narcissism rather than the intended respect due to the competent.
Thanks for this in unheard of times like these and for the invitation to webinar with Lord Owen, who always has shown good insights in ethics and the like. Good choice indeed but unfortunately I am not able to take part. Anita Soderman
I think most people are naturally attracted to someone engaging in hubris, the only president I can even think of in the last 100 years that was anywhere near law abiding and humble was Carter and generally people think of him as being weak and ineffective even though much of what he did was positive and admirable. How many other presidents actually worked in service to their country before and after being president? Carter was one of the few that actually served in the military, and as a nuclear engineer and even prevented a meltdown at a reactor in Canada. He was forward thinking as far as energy and didn't start any wars, afterward he spent the rest of his life physically building houses for the poor, not "starting a foundation" while attending fundraisers but literally building houses for people. And yet ask someone on the street what Carter did and they think of him as weak rather than being a modern Christ figure... Sigh...
Interesting thoughts about hubris. I realize the US Presidents’ Day holiday was a hook for the comment, but do you think it might be a bit less biased if you included at least some non U.S. leaders as examples?
Absolutely, hubris is everywhere, especially in political leadership. Really very important concept in todays global conflicts. We can limit it by dividing and checking powers, limiting officials terms, and upholding rule of law. The later is a real problem in the West imho, and elite criminal impunity is a dangerous degradation pf our governance that allows for leaders like Trump to puff up with hubris, way too bigly. Our justice system should rain down nemesis before other forces take up that role.
I recently stumbled on this gem of leadership analysis from a Bill Browder interview. General Chapman referenced the ‘hubris-nemesis complex’ as a model to analyze Putin’s problematic, escalatory leadership style.
When leaders act both with extreme hubris and justify this as acting like nemesis in response to another party’s hubris, the dynamics become fraught and unpredictable. Not a good one to mix with nukes. Many other leaders display this leadership dynamic, including Hitler, Castro and Trump.
I’ve always enjoyed this little gem of hubris written post-Iraq invasion: "Were an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality-judiciously, as you will we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."
— Anonymous aide [Karl Rove] quoted by Ron Suskind in "Faith, Certainty and the Presidency of George W. Bush," New York Times Magazine, October 17,2004
Regarding hubris. Good stuff. But no mention of Trump. Is he in a “special” category? Would appear he is proto-hubris bacillus, no?
Funnily, I was referencing a book Lord Owen wrote before Trump came to power - which is why he is not mentioned.
Hubris, I think, is the inevitable consequence of people in positions of higher social status neglecting their main duty, which is service to those with lower social status. I wonder if a cultural obsession with prestige itself over what that prestige represents produces narcissism rather than the intended respect due to the competent.
Thanks for this in unheard of times like these and for the invitation to webinar with Lord Owen, who always has shown good insights in ethics and the like. Good choice indeed but unfortunately I am not able to take part. Anita Soderman
If you can't join us on the day, feel free to register so you can get the recordings afterwards :-)
Yes posssibly, how does one do that, and at what cost?
I think most people are naturally attracted to someone engaging in hubris, the only president I can even think of in the last 100 years that was anywhere near law abiding and humble was Carter and generally people think of him as being weak and ineffective even though much of what he did was positive and admirable. How many other presidents actually worked in service to their country before and after being president? Carter was one of the few that actually served in the military, and as a nuclear engineer and even prevented a meltdown at a reactor in Canada. He was forward thinking as far as energy and didn't start any wars, afterward he spent the rest of his life physically building houses for the poor, not "starting a foundation" while attending fundraisers but literally building houses for people. And yet ask someone on the street what Carter did and they think of him as weak rather than being a modern Christ figure... Sigh...
Interesting thoughts about hubris. I realize the US Presidents’ Day holiday was a hook for the comment, but do you think it might be a bit less biased if you included at least some non U.S. leaders as examples?
Yes - there were many British examples also in his work, such as: Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, David Lloyd George and Neville Chamberlain.
Absolutely, hubris is everywhere, especially in political leadership. Really very important concept in todays global conflicts. We can limit it by dividing and checking powers, limiting officials terms, and upholding rule of law. The later is a real problem in the West imho, and elite criminal impunity is a dangerous degradation pf our governance that allows for leaders like Trump to puff up with hubris, way too bigly. Our justice system should rain down nemesis before other forces take up that role.
I recently stumbled on this gem of leadership analysis from a Bill Browder interview. General Chapman referenced the ‘hubris-nemesis complex’ as a model to analyze Putin’s problematic, escalatory leadership style.
When leaders act both with extreme hubris and justify this as acting like nemesis in response to another party’s hubris, the dynamics become fraught and unpredictable. Not a good one to mix with nukes. Many other leaders display this leadership dynamic, including Hitler, Castro and Trump.
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR461.pdf
Interesting insight...
I’ve always enjoyed this little gem of hubris written post-Iraq invasion: "Were an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality-judiciously, as you will we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."
— Anonymous aide [Karl Rove] quoted by Ron Suskind in "Faith, Certainty and the Presidency of George W. Bush," New York Times Magazine, October 17,2004
> Is Hubris of those in power inevitable?
I do not think so.
> How does it manifest in history versus in our modern era?
I imagine it's very much the same now as it ever was.
> And knowing how dangerous it can be to civility and reason, how can we possibly prevent or stop it once it occurs?
Someone has to make tough decisions using violence, or, perhaps good parenting is where it all begins.