Argentina’s President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) has thought by many observers to be losing her marbles.
Rambling Twitter rants, outrageous claims of Argentine national superiority, the unilateral terminating of the government run airlines only competitor and ludicrous claims of victory in the face of a stunning defeat have all given her opposition — and supporters — cause to wonder about her mental health.
Recently, an independent team of psychiatrists and psychologists sat down separately to watch television, read newspapers and monitor CFK’s Twitter account to see if anything could be culled from the media coverage.
Not surprisingly, the mental health workers documented evidence that CFK is suffering from a mental disorder which is affecting her ability to govern responsibly.
It appears that a malady that afflicted Hitler and Mussolini also has taken root in the fertile and sometimes infantile mind of CFK.
Click here to watch a video explaining her problems: http://youtu.be/_N_C_817Ylw
Roy Porter in “Oxford Journals” (Volume 132, Issue 5) has a thorough piece about hubris and world leaders. A common thread that Porter finds among global powerhouses is exaggerated pride, overwhelming self-confidence and contempt for others.
In a word, hubris.
According to Porter’s article, hubristic behavior is seen as an acquired condition and is different than most personality disorders which show up consistently throughout a person’s adulthood.
Hubris is a syndrome comprised of a cluster of features (symptoms), caused by a specific trigger (power) and usually fades away as the power fades.
Porter says that being elected to high office is a significant event for a leader and subsequent election victories increase the likelihood of hubristic behavior which morphs in to hubris syndrome.
Facing a crisis situation such as a looming or actual war or facing potential financial disaster may also increase hubris.
CFK’s previously unrecognized syndrome has backed her into a corner that will call for Houdini-like skills if she is to extricate herself.
Her ill planned and executed policies have resulted in rampant crime in the streets, inflation bouncing between 25% and 30% and corruption in high places as the rats try to get their piece of cheese in Congresso before bailing out of the sinking ship.
With formerly diehard supporters in the streets turning their backs on her as shown in the August primaries and Tigre Mayor and soon-to-announce-candidate Messa looking more Presidential everyday, CFK is in the fiercest struggle for her political life that she’s ever faced.
She’s been long thought crazy — or at least floating around the hazy edges of mental health. Now she has just about proven she’s a few bricks short of a full load.
Besides being known for her “twitter rants”, she also has acted in ways that have the media in South American’s second largest country comparing her to Hitler, Mussolini, the late Chavez and other dictators that also could’ve stood some time in the padded room.
So what will CFK do? She only has three options and after losing over half of her support since her re-election two years ago, none of the options are very pleasant for the Argentine people.
She could:
1. Become aggressive. However, if she is too aggressive the October results could be even more catastrophic than they were August 11 when the primaries were held. In doubling-down on her dictatorial tendencies, she would drive the already outraged populace back into the streets and protests. Demonstrations that have so far remained orderly could very well become violent as the pressure builds to bring permanent, meaningful change.
2. Become conciliatory. Not a good option either because she would have to begin dismantling the governmental “model” she has put in place. CFK has built her career on insisting that her way is the right way and has attempted to marginalize the opposition as being “puppets of crazy progressives” or “tools of imperialist America”. Becoming conciliatory will alienate her few remaining supporters and create a power vacuum. The rush to fill the vacuum would be met by more — in number and size — protests which could potentially turn violent.
3. Resign. Seeing that the country is fed up with her, she could call it quits and let the critics try to untangle the mess left behind. With Casa Rosada in turmoil in her rearview mirror, splinter groups would vie and fight — sometimes violently — to try to make sense of the disorder and chaos that years of Kirchnerism have created. Again with the almost guaranteed resulting protests and the added deadly potential for violence in the streets.
Hubris syndrome is a pattern of behavior in a person who (a) sees the world as a place for self-glorification through the use of power, (b) has a tendency to take action primarily to enhance personal image, ( c) shows disproportionate concern for image and presentation, (d) exhibits messianic zeal and exaltation in speech, (e) conflates self with the nation, (f) uses the royal ‘we’ in conversation and speeches, (g) manifestly has contempt for others, (h) shows accountability only to a higher court (history or God), (i) displays unshakeable belief that they will be vindicated in that court, (j) resorts to restlessness, recklessness and impulsive action and (k) displays incompetence with disregard for the nuts and bolts of policy making.
Three or more of the components should be present to accurately diagnosis hubris syndrome.
Cristina has more than just three indicators.
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Jerry Nelson is a freelance photojournalist from America. His latest book of photography, Suenitos tells the story of the only daycare inside the dangerous Hidden City. Now based in Argentina, he continues to turn his lens on social justice issues around the globe. Connect with Jerry on MosaicHub, Facebook or LinkedIn today. Have a story that needs to reach national media? Email him today.
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