[Just mythoughts]

"marginalized, insecure young man" never thought of him in these terms.

Always considered him having a mind from the dark side and sought the influences and people who gave, from fear or seduction, his stature.

Based upon his own words he was "god".

[Quix]

I don't remember the particular incidents in his youth--Jr high?

But they reminded me clearly of an insecure, hurting, angry young man.

Isn't there a famous story about an art teacher telling him what a terrible artist he was?

Anyway--I think there's plenty of features in his adult behaviors which confirm a less than confident, affirming youth.

In a sense, the whole of his adult life could be described as a raging compensation for the hurts and misfortunes of his childhood.

Then there's the aspect of the little short man syndrome.

[goldstategop]

Just like Caligula. Caligula was in the end killed by his own troops who finally felt their fear of what he could do turned to be more powerful than their fear of him. History will always have its share of madmen.