Leaders From The Dark Triad

Pride with no empathy

Psychopathic and anti-social

A cynic with no morality

Selfish and remorseless

Intelligent without compassion

Successful without apology

A chameleon of all things manipulative

These are the leadership qualities

Of all upper echelons of societies

They always have been, they always will be

Hidden traits integral

To the fast life type of strategies

Author's Note

Reviews

[PatrickPink]

It's nice to see some political work on this site, as so far I haven't come across too much of it! The short lines of this poem allow your lexical choices to shine; I particularly liked the line "Chameleons of the manipulative" and the connotations associated with that phrase. I do wonder if the last three lines could be reworked however, because I really like the idea of the two lines before them ending the poem. They work well as a summary of what you're trying to say, and really tie the poem together well, which sort of makes the the last lines superfluous, in my opinion! Great work!

[John the Baptist]

Very dark, this one. Accurate? Possibly, but of course, successful power seekers must have a degree of the great white shark in them. Psychopathic and anti-social? Wouldn't want to tar all leaders with that brush, although with one contemporary one, it may not be far off the mark.

[Davidgeo]

Not all, definitely not all. The greatest leaders I've ever encountered personally were all good people, for the most part just as or more moral and caring than any of us. But I think the large majority of the top of the mountain are, or at least are capable of being, a bit more immoral and self serving than the rest of us.

[CyranoDBergeron]

I don't know if this is fair. I'm sure there is a great degree of truth, but I'm sure there is more to it also.

[Davidgeo]

There's a little hyperbole in this. And when I talk about 'upper echelons' I'm talking about the tippity top of the food chain. People you and I likely will never have any direct contact with.

[CyranoDBergeron]

I guess I just really hope not.

I could also see how those characteristics could eventually bring you down

[Davidgeo]

In a perfect world maybe, they would. But the dirty truth of life in the fast lane is that nice guys usually never finish first.

[CyranoDBergeron]

I think youre right. But no says you have to be nice.

[Davidgeo]

That's kinda my point.

[Beccy]

Lately, I have come to believe it is largely the whole of our species that you describe here.

Beccy.

[Davidgeo]

We humans are strange creatures and full of bizarre psychological inclinations. Let us hope it's not everyone who possesses everyone of those traits.

[Neville]

Whilst trying to avoid generalising, you are not wrong....... an interesting universal truth in a nutshell with maybe a couple of notable exceptions...... N

[Davidgeo]

Very, very few notable exceptions. Even Gandhi was kind of racist creep and mother Teresa kind of a hypocritical b***h.

[Neville]

what about Val Doonigan.....

[Davidgeo]

I am not familiar with that person.

[Neville]

Okay, am gonna let you win because I need to hit the sack... Have a good one.... Neville

[Davidgeo]

I didn't know we were competing. Have a good evening.

[Anjali]

Hmm... Nice. I liked it a lot.