The king referred to in the title to this post appears in the Book of Daniel. He's sometimes associated with King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon; sometimes with Antiochus Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire; sometimes with the Antichrist. As may be expected, he exalts himself above all others, even the gods, is supremely arroga4nt and devotes himself to self-glorification.
There's something peculiar about a person who, being in a position to do so, names places and things after himself. Or refers to himself in the third person. Or finds ways to glorify himself instead of or in place of others. There's something very peculiar about someone who does so when it is normally the case that this is done only after the death of the person whose name is used in recognition of great deeds done while he lived.
No other president has indulged in this kind of self-glorification, and for good reason. They would have been thought close to mad if they did so. They would have seemed ridiculous, pitiful, risible.
This kind of excessive pride in oneself is particularly unbecoming to someone leading a republic. It is characteristic of an autocrat or dictator. So, in modern times, such displays of hubris have been indulged in by the likes of Franco, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao, Stalin and the Duvaliers. In antiquity Nero, Caligula and Elagabalus, among others. Shelley's Ozymandias is an example from poetry.
The person doing this must be terribly insecure, convinced that he won't be remembered or if remembered will inspire laughter and contempt. He can't expect he'll be honored by the nation, so instead he must honor himself.
The curious thing is he'll be remembered for exalting himself. That's what will be considered remarkable about him. Self-promotion will be what he's remembered for, to the point of absurdity.
No comments:
Post a Comment