Constant Traits of Human Nature

Constant Traits of Human Nature

Julius Caesar:

Julius Caesar is considered to have been a military genius and an efficient public administrator in Ancient Rome. However, his imperial hubris caused him to become a permanent dictator which ultimately resulted in his assassination by Brutus and Cassius.

Hints of Caesar's egoism are evident much earlier, such as by his arrogant chiding of his captors who he accused of not knowing whom they had kidnapped because of the inadequate ransom for an individual of his stature. Similarly, Caesar ignores warnings of imminent threats to his safety immediately before his assassination out of apparent disbelief attributable to his perception of himself as invaluable to Roman society (Uden,

1989).

Overcompensation for Low Self-Esteem as a Constant in Motivation of Achievement:

This self-important attitude and inflated sense of one's own value in relation to others is characteristic of many who (like Caesar) are born into lives of comparative wealth and privilege. More often than not, it is also evident in the personalities and psychological profiles of individuals who dedicate themselves to pursuing extremely high levels of political or professional success, or who seek to become famous for the sake of fame (Branden, 1999).

According to psychologists like Nathaniel Branden (1999), low self-esteem is epidemic in the human community and the common assumption that "egotistic" and self-centered displays come from feelings of high self-worth are absolutely incorrect. In fact,

the vast majority of extremely high achievers are actually overcompensating for deep-seated feelings of worthlessness and many of the behaviors associated with tyrants and others who seem "egotistical" is a poor self-image rather than the overly healthy self-image with which such behaviors are usually assumed to represent (Branden, 1999).

The Imperial Hubris Evidenced by George W. Bush and His Presidential Administration:

Alternatively, inflated self importance can also be caused by messages communicated throughout the formative years and subsequent reinforcement, such as are typical for many individuals born into lives of wealth, power, and social privilege

(Branden, 1999). In that regard, former U.S. president George W. Bush may share some of the consequences of having been born into a privileged family. His characteristic

"swagger" and defiance to objective criticisms, all the while displaying a degree of intellectual ignorance rarely witnessed among heads of states (at least in the free world)

may be the product of a privileged upbringing in conjunction with the unconscious realization that he did not earn admission to prestigious universities and graduate schools on the merits of his academic achievements, that he was never qualified to lead a Texas

National Guard squadron, and that his election to both a state governorship and a national presidency were both more attributable to the connections of his father than to his own accomplishments or aptitude. (Scheuer, 2004).