Most of us know what it’s like to be caught up in the moment. In a moment of tense confrontation or ego injury it is natural to pull tight to those who are there to defend you. Some of this is simply human nature. But with the likes of Musk and Trump it operates on a qualitatively different and more explosive level, the consequence of an innate narcissism, an ingrained sense of grievance and entitlement and the unique dynamics of social media. Of course, their power and wealth make their meltdowns vastly more consequential than yours or mine.

Probably not a good thing that we have a social and economic system that rewards extreme narcissism and sociopathy.