{"id":54753,"date":"2026-08-24T11:47:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T09:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-a-trauma-drama\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T11:47:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T09:47:58","slug":"column-by-peter-de-bruin-a-trauma-drama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/blog-en\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-a-trauma-drama\/","title":{"rendered":"Column by Peter de Bruin | \u201cA Trauma-Drama\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Column by Peter de Bruin<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"A Trauma Drama\"<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s not hard to describe what drives narcissists like Putin, but it is hard to describe what stops them. The drama he creates is global\u2014in the negative sense of the word. We do not know what trauma underlies this. What we do see, however, is his clearly emotionless \u201cK\u00f6rper\u201d which, like a cornered cat, seeks to win the arms race without reflection or dissent\u2014resulting in many new traumas for parents and children alike. In this column, Peter de Bruin argues that we must ask ourselves what part of our behavior as leaders, fathers, mothers, \u2026 stems from our own traumas\u2014no matter how difficult that may be\u2014in order to prevent tragedies. \n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"A Trauma Drama\"<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When is a narcissist satisfied? That question is buzzing through my head now that Putin has turned out to be a wolf in sheep\u2019s clothing and, like a cornered cat, is capable of making dramatic leaps. I\u2019m not the first to point to Vladimir\u2019s personality as the cause of the war. We can still only speculate about the scope of his goal, and we may still have doubts about his strategy and capabilities, but his motive is very clear: revenge! <\/p>

The global consensus on sanctions\u2014from countries, companies, premium brands, banks, and organizations in the fields of sports, art, and culture\u2014along with the internal uprising in Moscow, is cornering him more than he could have imagined. Censorship, propaganda, threats of nuclear weapons or cutting off gas supplies, \u2026\u2014it won\u2019t stop there. He is, completely mesmerized by his own narrative, blind to any form of (self-)reflection or dissent. There\u2019s only one way to stop him. It\u2019ll be a while before we\u2019re ready, so the arms race will be intense.<\/p>

Narcissism causes more damage than you’d like<\/strong><\/p>

We know of more men like Putin; unfortunately, narcissism, a fixation on power, and psychopathy are not uncommon among some leaders. What drives them is usually not that hard to describe, but what stops them is. The drama began decades ago. Just as every person experiences traumatic events, Putin, too, has been wounded. I don\u2019t mean by ordinary setbacks, but by real, experienced danger in the areas of safety, love, and the right to exist. Defense mechanisms\u2014in his case, an emotionless \u201cK\u00fcrper\u201d\u2014do everything they can to prevent a recurrence of those original pains. Power then becomes the best defense, and narcissism is born. <\/p>

Once in power, the revenge can begin. This often takes the form of a series of events unfolding in a self-fulfilling storyline. Opposition from those around them is powerless; the enemy is eliminated. If you\u2019re not for me, you\u2019re against me. It\u2019s not uncommon for the narcissist to overestimate their own strength, but they manage to win the game of \u201cRisk\u201d using increasingly vicious tactics. The will to win justifies the means. <\/p>

Also nearby<\/strong><\/p>

The \u201cbeauty\u201d of narcissists like Putin is that we can see their behavioral patterns so clearly. But even closer to home, narcissism is to blame for situations that have gotten out of hand. Think of #MeToo-type situations in which power dynamics have been abused. It\u2019s also more common in our workplaces than we\u2019d like. We see quite a few intelligent leaders who leave a trail of destruction in their wake. For example, I saw a supervisor who wanted to prove himself right at the organization\u2019s expense. What trauma lies at the root of that? <\/p>

Let\u2019s be honest\u2014maybe there\u2019s a sense of feeling undervalued lurking within all of us. Trauma is something we\u2019re all familiar with. I, too, know how difficult it is to live with it or come to terms with it. Pains from the past that are no longer an issue but still pull the strings in our subconscious. Hurt and shame. <\/p>

Back to my opening question. Narcissist Putin is never satisfied with anything. The drama he creates out of his trauma is on a global scale, resulting in trauma for countless people and children. Back to ourselves\u2014I\u2019m not going to play psychologist here, but what everyone should ask themselves is which of your behaviors, as a leader, father, mother, manager, etc., are based on old wounds. Better to stop halfway.<\/p>

Putin has ignored that fundamental question. My prediction is that, at the expense of many\u2014in his eyes\u2014opponents, he will ultimately meet his end himself. Sooner rather than later. Then he\u2019ll get his way, at least to some extent. Peace will be enforced by massive resistance both at home and from the rest of the world\u2014not in Ukraine, but in Russia itself. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Meet the Author<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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