Sycophancy

Quotes
It is more than just gullibility that explains the phenomenon of the Authoritarian followers. Can you imagine John Yoo, Alberto Gonzales, or David Petraeus going against the will of George W. Bush on any matter when he was in power? That would be highly unlikely because their positions of high power depended entirely on putting all their energy into anticipating the needs of and pleasing their “leader”. George Bush started out the same way. As governor of Texas, all his efforts went into pleasing his corporate cronies. In return, they rewarded him handsomely by ensuring his material wealth and serving as a power base for his climb to the presidency. Lobaczewski describes the process as one of sycophancy: "They initially perform subordinate functions in such a movement and execute the leaders’ orders, especially whenever something needs to be done which inspires revulsion in others. Their evident zealotry and cynicism gives rise to criticism on the part of the more reasonable members, but it also earns the respect of some its more extreme revolutionaries. They thus find protection among those people who earlier played a role in the movement’s ponerization, and repay the favor with compliments or by making things easier for them. Thus they climb up the organizational ladder, gain influence, and almost involuntarily bend the contents of the entire group to their own way of experiencing reality and to the goals derived from their deviant nature." [2010 August ]  Time for Change: Why the Corrupt Few Wreak So Much Death, Destruction, and Suffering on the Rest of us

Fortunately for Carol and I, sycophants are not attracted to us, so when we mention a modification they don't create a cacophony of imitation. I think they don't glue themselves to us because we insist on accountability and discernment. If I sought a following I certainly wouldn't post objections like this one
   DB often complained to me that he's plagued by sycophants every time he makes a public effort and I simply replied that they're simply attracted to his air of authority, so he ought consider being a regular guy, like me. A lot of people atually crave authority and to be put on a pedestal and that worked fine (or it didn't according to one's view of history) in the receding paradigm but it just doesn't work at all in the emerging one. These folks usually end up goign nuts, now. The 'new age' is for retiring beta personalities, apparently; not for the strident alphas  
I think the meek are inheriting the earth. ~Don Re: My New Croft CB.