The Dangers of Narcissism

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
March 15, 2021

From politician to the ordinary farmer, Hutus united to get rid of the ‘cockroaches,’ working together to exterminate their Tutsi friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members.

—Kennedy Ndahiro, “Dehumanization: How the Tutsis were reduced to cockroaches, snakes to be killed.”

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeI use to think that the motto of the Trinidad and Tobago Constabulary was “to protect and serve.” Unfortunately, it seems that its present mission is “to belittle and berate.” Listening to Gary Griffith, the Commissioner of Police, one would think he is at war with the society or anyone who criticize his opinions or performance.

Nothing reflects this position clearer than his response to Kafra Kamon’s call for his removal from office. Kambon called the deaths of Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris while in police custody “abominable” and objected to Griffith’s description of young Black men as “cockroaches.”

Kambon, an eminent citizen, repeated what many in the country think. He said: “We cannot allow emotions to drag us down a precipitous incline to a police state where the crimes committed by demented civilians today may pale in comparison to the terrors of officially sanctioned violence and murders without redress tomorrow” (Express, February 26.)

Disregarding the sophistication of Kambon’s argument, Griffith responded with thuggish vehemence: “It seems Emancipation must have come early this year….That sweet sleep he enjoys for most of the year as hundreds of young black boys in ‘his’ community both becomes victims and perpetrators of violent crimes….Kambon claims to be a ‘black leader,’ [but]… he only pops out of his slumber to bully and beg government for money for Emancipation celebrations…which he never accounts for.”

Kambon and the Emancipation Support Committee are not responsible for preventing violent crimes in his or other communities. They seek to promote an awareness of African culture and history among Afro-Trinbagonians and advocate on behalf of Black people’s interests. They have been successful in these endeavors.

One questions whether Griffith understands the social and psychological sciences when he insists that Kambon is “offended by Gary Griffith’s use of cockroach and now has incredibly and racially linked that to mean black. So now he’s organizing a march to get rid of Gary….

“Like others, Kambon’s motives of protecting the criminals is [sic] clear as the glass house he snoozes in, and like everything else Kambon has done throughout his life, it will be an abject failure, because the vast majority of citizens are behind GG, and they know cockroach is not racial but FACTUAL.”

A commissioner’s success lies not only in the use of force but also in understanding the social psychology of his people. He must understand the adverse effects of labeling any segment of the population. Calling young Black men cockroaches sets them up for social stigmatizing, physical and psychological persecution, and racial profiling. It sets the stage for brutalizing and killing them.

Kambon was referring to the Rwandan genocide of 1994 in which the Hutus slaughtered over 500,000 Tutsis. To achieve its objective, the Rwandan government labeled the Tutsi as “inyenzi” or cockroaches which made it easier to exterminate them.

The Hutus had to demonize the Tutsis before they killed them. Writing in the New Times, Rwanda’s leading daily newspaper, Kennedy Ndhahiro noted: “For genocide to occur, it must be preceded by the dehumanization of a group. To dehumanize means to deny the humanity of someone, reducing them to sub-human…. Equating Tutsi with cockroaches meant that few would think twice about killing and attempting to exterminate something so vile, dirty and sneaky” (March 13, 2014).

Anyone who leads a police force must be aware of this elementary form of psychological warfare. And Griffith was a soldier. But Gary’s problem is not one of unawareness. It might be the manifestation of what Manfred Kets De Vries and Elizabeth Scott call “malignant narcissism.” The traits of this mental illness consist of regular egocentricity, paranoia, a poor sense of self and lack of empathy.

A narcissist can be a dangerous person. His/her “insatiable need for attention leads him or her to seek out a steady source of admiration. Where that is in short supply, the narcissist prefers to inspire fear or hatred than suffer the nightmare of being ignored. And unable to empathize, they are indifferent to the consequences of hurting people” (Adrian Tempany, FT, September 3, 2010).

Griffith’s desire for attention is evident in his response to Kambon and those who criticize him. He noted that the “vast amount of citizens are behind the GG” which implies that his conduct is unimpeachable because the general public loves him. He even commissioned a poll to support this position.

There is no denying that a little dose of narcissism in a leader is a good thing. It “protects [him] from self-harm; it enables [him] to form support networks, to find a mate and to procreate” (Tempany). It becomes disastrous when it contaminates his whole person.

Jennifer Senior called Donald Trump a malignant narcissist who possesses “a defect in moral conscience that is emblematic of psychopaths…. Their self-esteem cannot self-repair” (New York Times, January 10, 2020). This led De Vries to ask: “How does one stop that [little dose of narcissism] from progressing to someone like Donald Trump, whom he calls ‘a malignant narcissist.'” (FT, March 7, 2021).

Griffith’s narcissism prevents him from listening to others and responding to their points of view in a rational way. When a commissioner sets up a vulnerable segment of the population for elimination or persecution, then he has violated his mandate and should be replaced.

Kambon is correct. Griffith should be removed from his office of power unless he seeks treatment for his personality disorder. The psychological health and safety of the country depend of it.

21 thoughts on “The Dangers of Narcissism”

  1. Is it not equally dangerous for a “journalist” to diagnose someone as a narcissist and demand removal from office? Is Selwyn Cudjoe a self declared psychiatrist?

    1. Why should gary be removed?… The indian political, business and religious leaders (UNC) fought hard for him and not a black skinned african (rawan) to be placed in that position for precisely his views on “cockroaches”!
      …ALSO MRS.. griffith is the puppet leader of UNC Team B (COP).

      What did you expect?

      Dr. Cudjoe should be criticizing his party (UNC) for their racist agenda to block unambiguously african persons from being allowed to ascend to the helm of the TTPS…but he won’t. Most indians agree with the cockroach talk.

      1. Africans are already at the helm of all major institutions in T&T. By every metric used by Africans themselves, Griffith could be described as African .

    2. If Dr.Cudjoe could declare Satnarine Maharaj “not racist”, his “friend” and a “true patriot “, after a LIFETIME of publicly saying, writing and DOING nasty things to african people daily , why bother gary griffith?

      Hypocrite?

      1. Dr. Cudjoe had personal knowledge of Sat Maharaj. When children could not get in the public schools Sat made sure they got a spot in the Hindu schools. I know a few family who got an education in a SDMS school and they were not Indian.
        And what did Sat the “racist” do against African people? He made a few off color remarks that offended some… some of it was extreme at times but he also attacked Kamla when he told her the Hindu vote he freeing up.

        When Desmond Hoyte who was the President of Guyana came to Trinidad he stayed by Sat Maharaj something Maharaj did not reveal to the public except once. If he was a racist Hoyte could not set foot in his home. So get over yourself. Some of the things Sat said offended Hindus also but he was blunt about his view of the world. Was he racist, no he was an educator after the likes of MLK…

  2. Selwyn Cudjoe is concerned about the descent into a police state under CoP Gary Griffith, where was that concern when T&T descended into the nearest thing we had to a police state under the then PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar when thousands of black people were rounded up and thrown into hastily made concentration camps? And on top of that, Selwyn told us before the last elections that he was supporting Persad-Bissessar and encouraging people to vote UNC. Strange.

    1. Does it matter that they were all criminals? Thousands? Hardly likely. Fabrication! And yes, they were all as described by Gary in his most appropriate and expressive metaphor, as “cockroaches”, simply because of their predatory behavior.
      Frequent false reference is made to this “concentration camp” incident with great exaggeration and fanfare. Why? To draw comparisons to illegal and unfair persecution of Blacks? This lock down was perfectly legitimate at a time of run away crime being perpetuated by the targeted group . Have you checked to see how many of those arrested were later re-arrested after their premature release as a result of crybabies bawling persecution of Black boys? Is it not obvious to you that to reduce crime the Police must target the criminals? The Black lives adversely affected do matter.

      1. Tman (siewdath), is racist.
        African people should avoid reasoning with people who hate them such as Tman and mamoo. it is a waste of time.
        Their religiously rooted circular logic is used to justify criminalizing, degrading and harming africans and their interests while angelicizing and defending the most despicable cretins within their own community.

        Drug dealers
        Gun smugglers
        Human traffickers
        Sex Slavers
        Thieves
        Hiring Murderers

        These are the empires and sources of the wealth that earns many “respectability” in trinidad.

        1. These empires and sources of wealth of which you speak should be hounded down , prosecuted and jailed with similar enthusiasm. No single ethnic group has a monopoly on crime in T&T. Condemnation of Black crime does not mean that other criminals are being excused, ignored or overlooked. Lock the up, all of them! And Inconvenient, please crying race every time for every thing.

          1. “…No single ethnic group has a monopoly on crime…”
            -Tman

            Corrupt TnT politicians face US jail (Mirror, 2005)
            http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/forum/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=3369

            COCAINE AND HEROIN TRAFFICKING IN THE CARIBBEAN: THE CASE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, JAMAICA AND GUYANA: Figueira, Daurius: 9780595336326: Amazon.com: B
            https://www.amazon.com/Cocaine-Heroin-Trafficking-Caribbean-Trinidad/dp/0595336329

            According to the top academic researcher of the drug trade in the entire caribbean…African and “mixed breed” persons are excluded from the drug/human trafficking crime families, BUT, are the specific, EXCLUSIVE TARGETS by law enforcement and violence!!!

            According to academic and field research and published, empirical evidence on these topics, the LORDS & BARONS of organized crime in the entire caribbean of Drug/Human trafficking/Fraud empires of wealth come from these groups:

            Indian (Largest number by far!)
            Arab (Syrian/Lebanese)
            White (French creole et al)
            Chinese

            So, YES!… there IS a monopoly and oligopolieS on ORGANIZED crime in Trinidad.
            NO AFRICAN crime families…only puppets and functionaries!!

  3. Gary was wrong to call little black boys cockroaches. But I am sure those little black boys called or think of Gary in the most dehumanizing terms except they are not a public voice.

    Balcon was the quintessential non cockroach rapist, murderer and a man whose career of abducting raping and disposing of women span about 1 1/2 decade. Several of the raped and tortured victims who barely survive these most horrifying ordeals, identified Balcon as the criminal who took advantage of them. It matters not that these victims suffered from nightmares, fear of men, and a sense of hopelessness, after all they were young women to be preyed upon.

    With a rap sheet spanning 71 charges, Trinidad most notorious rapist, killer was silenced. As a sadist killer he was immune to torture, immune to pain and nothing could loosen his tongue. But he was not a cockroach, he was a proud Africana boy possible from the Yoruba or Ashanti stock. He was given the high privilege of a revolving door justice system, well protected, well celebrated by the likes of Kambon post death expose’. And now this writer…doctor Cudjoe. Maybe he will be memorialized in the pit of Hell by the chief destroyer Lucifer.

    Andrew Morris knowledge of Balcon and his association with this notorious piece of human waste did not make him guiltless. Certainly not deserving of the cockroach descriptive. But he had information that he with held from the police honouring the code of silence that criminals have amongst themselves.

    Between 2006 and 2018, Morris was before the courts for seven matters, including marijuana possession, motor vehicle larceny and robbery, according to police data.
    Three of these matters were dismissed and discharged.
    At the time of his death the records show Morris, 35, had one matter before the Siparia Magistrates’ Court dating back to 2006, for robbery with aggravation.

    In February 2018, he was charged with possession of marijuana and fined $3,000 at the Arima Magistrates’ Court.
    In March 2018 he was charged with possession of marijuana and fined $2,500 by the Marabella Court.
    Prior to this, in December 2008, Morris was charged with possession of marijuana and fined $1,000 by an Arima magistrate.
    He was discharged/dismissed on three cases:

    1. In February 2009 he was charged with larceny of a vehicle. The case was discharged by the Arima adult court.
    2. In 2011 he was charged with larceny. The case was dismissed by the St Joseph adult court.
    3. In April 2015 a possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking charge was discharged by the Tunapuna Magistrates’ Court.
    A career criminal certainly stopped before he killed someone.
    But these are now celebrated as men of impeccable character… yes a great commotion for criminality. How many more out there, the secrets will become public record as citizens loosen their tongue.

    1. Is mamoo against the ACT of rape…or merely concerned with which race the alleged victim and perpertrator belong to??

      Glass houses and big stones… every caribbean and diasporan ear was perched not 3 years ago when satnarayan “sat” maharaj publicly lobied for the continued practice of child marriage in trinidad, which is an EXCLUSIVELY INDIAN CUSTOM in trinidad among Brahman-ists/”Hindus” and to a lesser degree INDIAN muslims. THAT is religiously sanctioned and INSTITUTIONALIZED PAEDOPHILIA!!..

      https://m.facebook.com/CNC3Television/posts/child-bride-i-call-it-rapewwwcnc3cottwwwtwittercomcnc3tvwwwinstagramcomcnc3newss/10154257550627996/

      Sat against outlawing child marriages
      https://newsday.co.tt/2017/10/02/sat-against-outlawing-child-marriages/

      Manusmriti: The Ultimate Guide To Becoming A ‘Good Woman’
      https://feminisminindia.com/2018/01/11/manusmriti-ultimate-guide-good-woman/

      “A 30 year old man should marry a charming girl of 12…or 8…or sooner…” -verse from Mausmirti (Brahman-ist/”Hindu” legal text of moral codes)

      The Laws of Manu IX
      https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu09.htm

      African caribbeans and latin americans don’t have the type of religious institutional control over the other members of their group to ensure absolute “quality control” the way indians do. But… their moral codes in their religion and culture does NOT promote or condone what your refer to as “cockroach” behaviour. If paedophilia and other ills are done amongst african caribbeans, it is a individualistic action and hidden from the wider group to avoid condemnation.However, when in the case of indians following religious rites, the entire group, even the ones that don’t practice it any longer, conspire to protect the “rite” from non-indian scrutiny and condemnation AS A GROUP!

      1. I know you not concern about violence, rape, murder but you are obsessed about race. You posses a level of blindness that all racist have… Hitler had it, all he was concerned about was the Aryan race, blond hair, blue eyes and racial superiority. Your mindset is similar to Manning who met with gangs at fancy hotels, gave them million dollar contracts and certified them as community leaders. Most of these gang leaders would start a turf war and kill off each other.

        Inconvenient nobody choose their race, family, parents, country of birth, their name or house to live in. Respect mines as I respect yours. Balcon to you epitomes Africana, people in the judicial system saw him as an Africana prince. You probably have a framed picture of him in your home or worst yet in your heart… your undying devotion to this criminal is a symbol of your racial psychosis….get help.

          1. Hahahaha…yes you and Hitler have a lot of similarities. (1) since you came on this blog, all you have done is talk and promote race… same as Hitler did.

            (2) Attacked Hindus who are socially, ideologically different from Hindus in India. Comprising about 17% of TnT population. You are like Hitler who attacked the Jews.

            (3) You have nothing but hatred for any other ethnic groups. Same as Hitler who went after Jews, trade union, Christians. Your level of hatred starts with Hindus and will carry over to other non African groups.

            (4) You are dysfunctional as a human being you attack Dr. Cudjoe, myself, Tman because your mind is discombobulated. Discombobulate is a fun, fancy word for “confuse.” If something has put you in a state where you don’t know up from down and you can’t spell your own name, you may be discombobulated…your discombobulated world view is only get worst to a state of Schizophrenia paranoia. ( Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning, and can be disabling.
            People with schizophrenia require lifelong treatment. Early treatment may help get symptoms under control).

            Then you will enter the final stage of being in a mental institution….

  4. A few weeks ago, PM Dr. Rowley said, “The upholder is worst than the thief.”
    Surely something can be done about this CoP… The UNC sent the Canadians packing for much less than what this CoP has given us.
    But the bigger question is, how did Gary Griffith, with all his accusation (by this PM), became CoP?

    Reminds me of the Guptas ‘appointing’ ministers in South Africa.

    https://wired868.com/2019/12/30/noble-slipping-into-the-abyss-do-police-have-license-to-kill-indiscriminately/

    1. The UNC sent the canadians packing because of non UNC pressure….the UNC had created an impasse in the appointment of COP, because they wanted AN INDIAN, but settled for their very own ex- unc security minister gary griffith. The UNC has the voting numbers to indefinitely stall the appointment of the COP, and so the PNM chose to stop the controversial appointment of temporary COP, and compromise with unc on choosing gary…..
      How does ramk not know this?

  5. Speaking about narcissistic one is leading the nation. While Caribbean nations are using the Indian vaccine, Rowley due to racism has refused it but is asking and wanting the China vaccine.

    The China-made vaccine manufactured by Sinopharm is currently awaiting the World Health Organisation (WHO) approval but access to it was discussed during a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and China President Xi Jinpeng yesterday.
    https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4098913

    There are 73 side effects from taking the Chinese made vaccine. Ducta Rowley should along with all cabinet members and families be the first to take this made in China vaccine.

    “Second, for systemic adverse reactions, it starts by listing headache under very common. For common, it lists fever, fatigue, muscle ache, joint pain, cough, difficulty breathing, nausea, diarrhea, and itchy skin,

    Under uncommon, it lists dizziness, loss of appetite, vomiting, oropharyngeal pain, difficulty swallowing, runny nose, constipation, and hypersensitivity. For rare, it lists acute allergic reaction, lethargy, drowsiness, difficulty sleeping, sneezing, nasopharyngitis, nasal congestion, dry throat, influenza, hypoesthesia, limb pain, palpitations, stomach ache, rash, skin and mucous membrane abnormalities, acne, eye pain, ear discomfort, and lymphadenopathy.

    Lastly, under very rare, it lists chills, dysgeusia (distortion of the sense of taste), loss of taste, feeling abnormal, tremors, difficulty paying attention, nose bleeds, asthma, throat irritation, tonsillitis, limb discomfort, neck pain, jaw pain, neck lumps, mouth ulcers, toothache, esophageal disease, gastritis, discoloration of stool, eye pain, blurred vision, eye irritation, vision loss, earache, nervousness, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, urinary incontinence, and delayed menstruation.“

    I would recommend Inconvenient Truth to take the jab also…

    1. All cards on the table please.
      Better china than india. Indians like mamoo, want to patronize hindutva india and modi to invite their colonial foothold in t&t and its politics….Africans must reject inviting their demise!

      1. Don’t stop with the vaccine Inconvenient. Reject Google, an Indian at the head.
        https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sundar-Pichai
        Don’t use MasterCard https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/25/mastercard-names-product-chief-michael-miebach-as-ceo-ajay-banga-moves-to-executive-chairman.html
        Don’t use Microsoft products windows etc https://www.britannica.com/biography/Satya-Nadella

        In fact Inconvenient do us all a favour and get lost…hahaha. You belong to the era of the naked tribesman….

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