What Drives A Megalomaniac?

The several pieces that Fran posted this week have prodded me to move forward with a conjecture that I have long felt needs to be shared.

With the video featured below, Jordan Peterson spurred the bulk of what I will present to you today. I reacted favorably to his sudden realization that his predilection to avoid facing a difficult conclusion — that is often stated by some version of what is called Hanlon’s Razor — is long past its expiration date. Rather than watch all the video, I have provided readers with this easily read transcript. (Right click to open in a separate window should you wish to follow along with the video.)

I see the evidence as insurmountable and undeniable as does Dr. Peterson. What we are witnessing is far worse than mindless stupidity. Gates (and others like him, but let’s continue to use him as the avatar of that sort) appears to be mesmerized with destruction. Why?

There is a huge likelihood to suspect the desire to destroy on a large scale is related to the ultimate violation of the Tenth Commandment. With all the wealth he has accumulated — only he knows how much by fair or foul means — came all this power to affect the lives of others.

But he cannot create life. So far it seems only The Creator can do so. Many have faith in Him. But even the atheist occasionally has doubts that he is correct in believing that God does not exist. One may think “but what if He does” from time to time. Yet even after he discards his doubt, what remains is the very concept of God. It’s an idea that can stick in anybody’s head and refuse to leave.

And an apparently Godless man such as our avatar cannot help but feel the frustrations that any mortal must endure. For all his power he cannot compete even with the concept of God. “So many people love that concept but resent and even hate me.” So we can see how our avatar’s resentment can come to be as boundless as that which he has come to hate megalomaniacally. If it wasn’t so dangerous in a powerful human, one might feel sympathy. One more effectively could wish there was a way to get him to repent his envy and simply feel grateful for all that has come his way.

So what remains for this ungrateful oaf to do to express his dissatisfaction? Destroy all that is good that he can, for the good is what God represents and makes available to all.

Sure there are fools who believe in the Malthusian Inevitability, but Gates simply hides behind their antihuman drive to aid them so he may strike back at the very concept of An Ultimate Creator. There cannot be a trace of selflessness in such a Godless creature. Whatever drive he started out with to achieve his wealth, almost certainly he is now solely driven by hatred for an Idea he finds out of his reach.

And what better way to do this than to destroy the only creature on Earth who can contemplate the existence of God.

(Hat tip to Darin at Crusader Rabbit for bringing this Peterson clip to my attention.)