Friday, September 25, 2009

Curiouser and Curiouser

Rick Salutin of the Globe and Mail on Michael Ignatieff:
It's not the same as egomania, which can work in politics. Egomania requires you to be aware of others in order to dominate or manipulate them. With narcissism, you barely notice them, you bask in your own presence and assume everyone does.
Robert Fulford of the National Post on Jean Chrétien in 2002:
But there was one odd thing about his conversation. In 90 minutes or so, no one, no matter how hard they tried, could get him off the subject of Jean Chrétien. It was the only topic that interested him and he seemed to believe sincerely that it obsessed everyone else as much as it did him. At that moment, since he was so far removed from power, his enormous ego was no more than a psychological curiosity.

When he left the room, the people at our table chuckled over his narcissism. Someone said that lunch was one thing, but being with him for much longer would be unendurable.
And therefore can we be surprised to find Warren Kinsella on his three favorite subjects - himself, Jean Chrétien, and Michael Ignatieff:
But I'm going to defend Iggy as vigorously as I defended JC. And, moreover, I'm pretty good at finding people, when I'm focussed.