This is a classic personality disorder in action. It could be Borderline or Psychopathic or Narcissistic, the definitions are not strict. What such a person does is undermine, divide and create allegiances within a group that needs to be working together:
Emmanual Macron is furious after Australia cancelled a $90-billion-dollar submarine deal, instead negotiating a new trilateral pact with the US and UK.
Then, when the inevitable conflict arises, he surreptitiously stokes it:
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been accused of leaking a private text message following French President Emmanuel Macron’s claim Mr Morrison lied about the future of France’s deal to build submarines for Australia.
Then, the victim of the gaslighting develops rage, as all humans will when treated in this manner:
Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, France’s ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thébault, said leaking the text message was an “unprecedented new low”.
“You don’t behave like this on personal exchanges of leaders who are allies,” Mr Thébault said.
“Doing so also sends a very worrying signal for all heads of state. Beware, in Australia there will be leaks. And what you say in confidence to your partners will be eventually used and weaponised against you one day.”
Culminating in the gaslighter pointing the finger at the victim and labelling him the loony one:
[Morrison said] “What is needed now is for us to move on, that is what is important — the Australian people, the United States and UK get on with the historic agreement we came to, to deliver an incredibly important capability to Australia to keep us safe and defend and protect Australia.
“I don’t think there is any further profit for anyone continuing down this path. We made the decision we did … in the Australian national interest.”
The weird thing about this is that I agree with the underlying nuclear subs decision. So long as we can deliver them in reasonable time which appears to be a big “if”.
But there is a broader lesson for all Australians here.
Scott Morrison the man has now turned into Australia the policy entity. That means Morrison’s toxic personality is making divisive alliances and enemies instead of working for the public good.
In the long run, Morrison’s toxicity will not go down in the history books as all bad. It has delivered Australia one vital win. Morrison gaslighted China. When it developed rage, it was exposed for what it really is. And for that we should all be grateful.
But on every other topic of economic, social and geopolitical importance, Morrison is dangerous and we should be shot of him as soon as possible.
Toxic Morrison is a great lesson in who to avoid in life.
