we need to talk about kevin

Sociopath: that’s what a woman radio talkback caller labels our former prime minister and I think she’s right. Overnight he resigns as Foreign Minister while in Washington, and this morning relaunches his Kevin-O-Seven election manifesto before challenging the current PM to a duel.

The DSM-IV describes a variant of sociopathy called dissocial personality disorder. You’ve got to have at least three of: callous unconcern for the feelings of others (Kevin’s treatment of public servants); gross and persistent attitude disregard for social norms, rules, and obligations (Kevin’s dictatorship over the Cabinet); inability to maintain enduring relationships, though having no difficulty in establishing them (Kevin’s alienation of most former colleagues); very low frustration tolerance (Kevin abuses an air hostess, the Chinese, whoever); inability to profit from experience, particularly punishment (Kevin’s about to submit himself to another Labor Caucus flaying); persistent irritability as an associated feature (need more be said?).

The former cabinet colleagues who shafted him but politely declined to bag him when Julia deposed him take the gloves off today and, one by one, detail Rudd’s sociopathy.

The Ruddmeister’s forced bonhomie and faux attempts to call people mate flimsily disguise a nasty little intellectual bully and maniacal egotist. His Orwellian doublespeak of the past 24 hours beggars belief. That other talkback callers regard him as a statesman explains a lot.

     

Psychopaths find it easier to be president or prime minister than to get an ordinary job like mere mortals. No diagnoses are available, but I’m kind of sure that Hitler, Gaddafi, Idi Amin, Ceauşescu, Mugabe and an entire North Korean ruling dynasty qualify. George Bush lurks on the fringe.

Serious questions need asking. How is this possible? I imagine it’s a good fit for a psychopath to head the military and it’s a hop, step and jump from there to military dictator. The people have little choice with a military dictator: they run the means of repression, the army, and army training is rather like a short-course in psychopathy.

It’s the elected psychopaths who fascinate. If the adage is right and we get the government we deserve, was each of these countries psychopathic?

We need to talk about Kevin, and maybe in doing so, we’ll realise that Julia, whatever her political faults, is a real mensch.

Rock on.