Hitler's EQ

The description of Hitler by Speer in his autobiography Inside the Third Reich, makes it clear that Hitler was a genius in terms of the current concept of Emotional Intelligence, or, more stylishly, EQ. As previously noted in these columns, Hitler formed party ideology primarily in response to public opinion; he was sensitive to the feelings of others to a fault. Speer indeed speaks of his “remarkable duplicity.… With enormous histrionic intuition he could shape his behaviour to changing situations in public while letting himself go with his intimates, servants, or adjutants”(p. 55). His thinking was entirely “pragmatic” (p. 80). “He did not seem to deal with people but rather to manipulate them.” (p. 94). All the top Nazis Speer calls “gifted actors,” (p. 105), able to emote convincingly on cue.

In other words, they were psychopaths. For that is all “emotional intelligence” is: psychopathy. Even Hitler’s generally acknowledged physical courage is part of this: lacking feelings generally, he also lacked fear. Similarly, he was not moved by comedy (p. 71), beyond mockery and practical jokes.

Lacking emotions, Hitler and other psychopaths are highly capable of exploiting the emotions of others. They can observe them clinically and coolly, and dissimulate as needed.

Accordingly, the whole current notion of “emotional intelligence” is a travesty. When we speak of rational intelligence, it means being more rational than others. But “emotional intelligence” means being less emotional than others. It is a matter of lacking something others have.

And, of course, the result is appalling: the triumph of the selfish will, and no feeling for one’s fellow man.