Let’s take a moment to reflect on the kind of personality disorder might make one attracted to politics. To be sure, there are people who have entirely noble aspirations about making the world a better place. But what kind of sane person thinks he can oust a four-term incumbent from his perch? What kind of normal person is especially good at getting on a phone and asking other people to send him thousands of dollars? And what kind of narcissist would you have to be to think that you—and you alone—can fix people’s problems?

This is almost a self-selecting way to manufacture hubris. (These politicians are not people, they’re animals.)

But politics isn’t content with merely attracting egomaniacs. It also creates them. Let’s say that you run for office for all the right reasons, convince yourself that all the hard work is for the cause of freedom and justice, and then manage to get elected to Congress. You will immediately then encounter money-hungry sycophantic consultants who will tell you how amazing you are.