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Interesting article, "Why does Romney want to be president?"

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Lili On July 12, 2019
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Sunshine Land,
#1New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 00:41:16
https://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/11/04/why-does-mitt-romney-want-to-be-president/

This article gives a really interesting, and for the most part, non-partisan perspective on why Romney might want to be president. The question of why Romney doesn't seem to have have a core set of his own beliefs is explained in an interesting context. From the article:


The glorification and subsequent commodification of "management" and "leadership" skills isn't confined to the world of superstar CEOs. You can see it in the business section of any Barnes & Noble. Rows upon rows of books promise to help you "get to yes" or turn into a "one-minute manager" or develop "strengths-based leadership." None of these books particularly cares what it is you're managing, or where it is you're leading, or why exactly you're trying to get to yes. These are skills like running or weightlifting. You can excel at them no matter where you're going or what you carry.

What Romney values most is something most of us don't think much about: management. A lifetime of data has proven to him that he's extraordinarily, even uniquely, good at managing and leading organizations, projects and people. It's those skills, rather than specific policy ideas, that he sees as his unique contribution. That has been the case everywhere else he has worked, and he assumes it will be the case in the White House, too. When we look at Romney's career and see a coreless opportunist, we're just looking at the wrong data.

This is why Romney thinks he should be president. A lifetime of data has proved to him that his management skills constitute a unique and powerful contribution. In Romney's world, there's nothing strange about that, which may also explain his willingness to be unusually strategic, even cynical, about the policies he supports.
chicatisma On May 28, 2013

Deleted



Anaheim, California
#2New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 00:51:43
One might wonder if he wants to be president in the same way that George H W Bush, John Kennedy, and maybe the first Harrison wanted to be president: because his father did not become president.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


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Here and there,
#3New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 01:35:08
I don't think there's anything nefarious or sinister or evil about Romney. I don't even think he'd make an especially bad President. He might be really good at it, in fact.

The problem is that I think Romney is just a Bad Person. He has no character and no conscience. He's a bit of a sociopath. He'll lie, change his opinions, and change what he says with zero qualms if he thinks it will help him acquire more power. He's clearly a good manager and a good executive.

In contrast, I think Obama is a Good Person. I disagree with him politically, but I can't help but like him as a human being. Ron Paul is an Extraordinary Person that I agree with politically.
Lili On July 12, 2019
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Sunshine Land,
#4New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 02:07:20
@jonnythan Said

I don't think there's anything nefarious or sinister or evil about Romney. I don't even think he'd make an especially bad President. He might be really good at it, in fact.

The problem is that I think Romney is just a Bad Person. He has no character and no conscience. He's a bit of a sociopath. He'll lie, change his opinions, and change what he says with zero qualms if he thinks it will help him acquire more power. He's clearly a good manager and a good executive.

In contrast, I think Obama is a Good Person. I disagree with him politically, but I can't help but like him as a human being. Ron Paul is an Extraordinary Person that I agree with politically.


I agree on everything you said other than agreeing with Ron Paul politically. I have suspected for a while that Romney is a sociopath. And that wouldn't be surprising given that CEOs are statistically several times more likely than the general population to be sociopaths. The reason that concerns me in regard to the presidency is that sociopaths have no sense of loyalty to anyone but themselves. A sociopath would have zero qualms with undermining the interests of an entire population if it would further his own goals. And given how little Romney shares about his plans, I really don't know what those goals might be.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#5New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 02:13:23
You're right that a sociopath would have no qualms about undermining the entire country if it served his own goals, but I don't think that would serve his goals. I think his goal is not just to wield power, but to actually do a good job. I think that he genuinely wants to do a good job. He seems to find great satisfaction in praise, not just getting his way. It's a fine line, but I think that's why I'm not too worried if he becomes president. The only thing about him getting elected that I find very worrisome is his social policy.
DorkySupergirl On November 02, 2017




, Canada
#6New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 02:29:10
@jonnythan Said

I don't think there's anything nefarious or sinister or evil about Romney. I don't even think he'd make an especially bad President. He might be really good at it, in fact.

The problem is that I think Romney is just a Bad Person. He has no character and no conscience. He's a bit of a sociopath. He'll lie, change his opinions, and change what he says with zero qualms if he thinks it will help him acquire more power. He's clearly a good manager and a good executive.

In contrast, I think Obama is a Good Person. I disagree with him politically, but I can't help but like him as a human being. Ron Paul is an Extraordinary Person that I agree with politically.



I am going from memory here but in university studying about sociopaths, I believe the data showed that in the world of CEO's sociopathy was four times what it is in the population at large. Sociopaths make excellent high powered businessmen. The lack of empathy, guilt, remorse, etc is a great benefit in the business world. I have never met the man but from what I have seen, he certainly does display several characteristics of what I have studied of sociopaths.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#7New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 02:44:15
Funny that you mention essentially the same statistic as Lili. It's definitely true.
Lili On July 12, 2019
....................





Sunshine Land,
#8New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 02:54:52
@jonnythan Said

You're right that a sociopath would have no qualms about undermining the entire country if it served his own goals, but I don't think that would serve his goals. I think his goal is not just to wield power, but to actually do a good job. I think that he genuinely wants to do a good job. He seems to find great satisfaction in praise, not just getting his way. It's a fine line, but I think that's why I'm not too worried if he becomes president. The only thing about him getting elected that I find very worrisome is his social policy.



The question is, whose praise does he want? Is it Republicans, Oil company CEOs, other world leaders? Who will he be trying to please, and who will he be willing to screw over to do it?

I don't think he's looking for ways to screw people over, but the problem is that if an opportunity presented itself, no internal sense of empathy would stop him from potentially hurting a lot of people. That's what concerns me.
DorkySupergirl On November 02, 2017




, Canada
#9New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 02:56:52
@jonnythan Said

Funny that you mention essentially the same statistic as Lili. It's definitely true.



There was a whole section of study devoted to what professions attract sociopaths and why. I do remember that CEO was in the top 5 of chosen professions of sociopaths. I'd have to get out my textbooks but I believe doctors and lawyers were also on the top 5 list.

I know this is not a scientific fact but I am usually a good judge of character just seeing someone and though its not science or anything I can back up with data, something about Romney is not right to me and I do not trust him and yes, it is because he does display, in my opinion of the study of the subject, sociopathic tendencies.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#10New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:04:41
I wonder what you think about my character, especially now that I'm trying to be a doctor
Lili On July 12, 2019
....................





Sunshine Land,
#11New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:08:26
@jonnythan Said

I wonder what you think about my character, especially now that I'm trying to be a doctor



I think any profession with high pay or high power attracts sociopaths. I'm pretty sure you're not doing it for the money, lol
DorkySupergirl On November 02, 2017




, Canada
#12New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:19:12
@jonnythan Said

I wonder what you think about my character, especially now that I'm trying to be a doctor



If I had no idea what it is you did but you or someone asked me to guess, I would say doctor. Its not because I think you are a sociopath. It is because you seem to be someone intrigued with complex problems/issues and wanting to diagnose them and find solution. I would not see you as a family physician or even a surgeon. I would see you more as a medical diagnostician. That seems to be more you.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#13New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:27:10
@DorkySupergirl Said

If I had no idea what it is you did but you or someone asked me to guess, I would say doctor. Its not because I think you are a sociopath. It is because you seem to be someone intrigued with complex problems/issues and wanting to diagnose them and find solution. I would not see you as a family physician or even a surgeon. I would see you more as a medical diagnostician. That seems to be more you.


So you do think I'm a sociopath! I get it.

To be honest, it kinda gives me the warm fuzzies that you think that. Even more so because your description of what makes you think that (intrigued with complex problems and wanting to diagnose them and find solutions) is pretty much exactly the main thrust of the personal statement I wrote.
sister_of_mercy On March 11, 2015




London, United Kingdom
#14New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:28:47
I think they give sociopaths and psychopaths a bad name a lot of the time. Just because you're diagnosed that way it doesn't mean you're going to go out and kill loads of people.
DorkySupergirl On November 02, 2017




, Canada
#15New Post! Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:37:32
@jonnythan Said

So you do think I'm a sociopath! I get it.

To be honest, it kinda gives me the warm fuzzies that you think that. Even more so because your description of what makes you think that (intrigued with complex problems and wanting to diagnose them and find solutions) is pretty much exactly the main thrust of the personal statement I wrote.


I see I have made a mess of my Englishes. I mean to say you are not a sociopath.

As to the second part, while I may not always be good with my Englishes and at times people need a decoder ring, I am very good at figuring people out and getting a good judge of them. I see this about you and think you would make excellent doctor. I can see you not stopping until you find answers and not dismissing people like many doctors do. Many doctors will not run tests or things and just go with symptoms of what they think it is and many times they are right but in doing this, many times they are wrong and do not do proper investigation. I think you would and would catch more.
@sister_of_mercy Said

I think they give sociopaths and psychopaths a bad name a lot of the time. Just because you're diagnosed that way it doesn't mean you're going to go out and kill loads of people.


Its funny as I was going to type this in my earlier response to Jonnythan. Many people think sociopaths and psychopaths are out there killing people. Many are thriving and living as we would. They just seek certain professions. But not all are out there being criminals.
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