09-26-2016, 12:33 PM
(09-25-2016, 11:49 AM)APeacefulWarrior Wrote: I realize this was intended as a largely metaphysical question, but in the case of Hitler, I believe there's a concrete answer: While he was deeply tribal and viewed anyone outside his tribe with antipathy (at best), he was actually extremely nice when dealing with his own people, as he saw them. He was, in effect, too nice to be truly polarized negative. A few years ago, a maid who worked for him up until 1934 gave an interview about her years with him, and it's a pretty fascinating contrast:
Quote:He was a charming man, someone who was only ever nice to me, a great boss to work for. You can say what you like, but he was a good man to us. ... I only ever knew Hitler as a kindly man who was good to me. ... Even now, I prefer to remember the charming facets of his personality.
This is entirely consistent with being STS.
You have no shot at building a group of minions if you are a complete a-hole. The question is more about why he was being nice, and that we just don't know.
Part of the deception is having everybody think you are wonderful. Think about the way Bill Clinton presents himself, and then the body count following the Clintons. That's real STS. Maintaining the deception is why STS eventually falls apart.