4 ms·

I heard an interesting psychological profile of Hitler once, and the person said he didn't actually want to win. He had horrible means, so why assume he didn't

I heard an interesting psychological profile of Hitler once, and the person said he didn't actually want to win. He had horrible means, so why assume he didn't have a horrible goal(losing, consciously or subconsciously)? I think North Korea's leader has horrible means, and may have a horrible goal, some sort of suicide where he destroys his whole country via the USA. Him thinking he can capture Guam is perhaps only possible to believe if he has really bad thinking. He has really bad ways of dealing with his people, so it's possible he is subconsciously trying to destroy himself.

boznz 9y ago
I actually agree. People are applying rational thought to an irrational person and we know how well that usually works out.
- TheOtherHobbes 9y ago
  Nuclear MAD doesn't work when leaders really are mad. I'm not sure KJU is mad in the Hitler sense, but he's the narcissistic scion of a narcissistic pseudo-monarchy, and it may be unwise to expect rational foresight.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- wyatte 9y ago
  What is it that makes you believe he is irrational? Just curious because I can come up with some pretty rational arguments for most of his actions.
mtw 9y ago
He might have flaming words but he knows all too well that nuclear weapons and missiles are his only defense against the US, and esp. someone like Trump Look at any other country that has given up its nuclear program. Khadafi, Saddam Hussein are here no more. Kim Jong-Un knows well too well that if he gave in to american demands, his regime will end. This is an excellent article with more details on this : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/in-the-court-of-kim-jong-un-ruthless-bellicose-despot-not-mad https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/in-the-court-o...
- danschumann 9y ago
  I've heard that too, Putin was saying that at a press conference. It makes sense, since we ran those other countries rampant after they gave up. Still, that's an excuse to keep his nuclear program, not to try and capture Guam. Capturing Guam is a misguided goal, which could hint at a further addled mind.
classicsnoot 9y ago
There is a Batman cartoon wherein the Joker is taken under the wing of a popular psychologist who goes to great lengths to explain that the Joker is not evil, rather he is merely trying to express himself under the pressure exerted upon him by society personified by an aging purist known as the Batman. On live TV he executes the good doctor with a shattered coffee cup before murdering the audience with poison gas. It is always dangerous to use entertainment fiction as an analog to reality. Nonetheless, I cannot help but feel revulsion when a pampered, armchair sociologist tries to handwave the destructive tendencies of a poorly informed autocrat as some kind of grandiose, suicidal tendency. The latest round of intercontinental saber rattling is not a product of rampant psychopathy; it is iteration of a proven methodology.
ionised 9y ago
I think it is simpler than that. It's pure survival for himself and his dynasty, just like it was for King Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung. If the regime collapses and Kim brought to justice, he'll be executed along with any family members and anyone involved in the horrors the North Korean people have had to face. He's using an entire country as a bargaining chip to ensure he remains in power, safe and protected from outside interference.

boznz 9y ago

I actually agree. People are applying rational thought to an irrational person and we know how well that usually works out.

TheOtherHobbes 9y ago
Nuclear MAD doesn't work when leaders really are mad. I'm not sure KJU is mad in the Hitler sense, but he's the narcissistic scion of a narcissistic pseudo-monarchy, and it may be unwise to expect rational foresight.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
wyatte 9y ago
What is it that makes you believe he is irrational? Just curious because I can come up with some pretty rational arguments for most of his actions.

mtw 9y ago

He might have flaming words but he knows all too well that nuclear weapons and missiles are his only defense against the US, and esp. someone like Trump Look at any other country that has given up its nuclear program. Khadafi, Saddam Hussein are here no more. Kim Jong-Un knows well too well that if he gave in to american demands, his regime will end. This is an excellent article with more details on this : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/in-the-court-of-kim-jong-un-ruthless-bellicose-despot-not-mad https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/in-the-court-o...

danschumann 9y ago
I've heard that too, Putin was saying that at a press conference. It makes sense, since we ran those other countries rampant after they gave up. Still, that's an excuse to keep his nuclear program, not to try and capture Guam. Capturing Guam is a misguided goal, which could hint at a further addled mind.

classicsnoot 9y ago

There is a Batman cartoon wherein the Joker is taken under the wing of a popular psychologist who goes to great lengths to explain that the Joker is not evil, rather he is merely trying to express himself under the pressure exerted upon him by society personified by an aging purist known as the Batman. On live TV he executes the good doctor with a shattered coffee cup before murdering the audience with poison gas. It is always dangerous to use entertainment fiction as an analog to reality. Nonetheless, I cannot help but feel revulsion when a pampered, armchair sociologist tries to handwave the destructive tendencies of a poorly informed autocrat as some kind of grandiose, suicidal tendency. The latest round of intercontinental saber rattling is not a product of rampant psychopathy; it is iteration of a proven methodology.

ionised 9y ago

I think it is simpler than that. It's pure survival for himself and his dynasty, just like it was for King Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung. If the regime collapses and Kim brought to justice, he'll be executed along with any family members and anyone involved in the horrors the North Korean people have had to face. He's using an entire country as a bargaining chip to ensure he remains in power, safe and protected from outside interference.