Mitt Romney Is Not An Adult

Like Father Like Son

Mitt Romney was a Governor of Massachusetts. His father, George W. Romney, was a Governor of Michigan. Both worked in the Corporate World.  Both belong to the Mormon faith.  Mitt wants to the President of the United States.  His dad wanted to be President of the United States.

These facts are disturbing and creepy.

A big part of psychological development is a process called individuation.  Individuation is a process by which a child learns to form values that are independent from their parents' values.  It is a process during which one enters the world outside of their family.  It involves joining groups and making friends that are different than your family.

Most people go through the beginning phases of individuation in their teenage years.

If you reflect on your experience and on the lives of the people with whom you grew up, do you know anyone who has followed so  identically in their Father's shadow?

Mitt Romney hasn't gone through a psychological adolescence.  That's why he's such a consummate flip-flopper.  When you are 12 or 13 years old, it's not that strange to change your beliefs about abortion or the role of government on a frequent basis.  Kids at that age are frequently changing their mind about their values.  One day Jerry is Bob's best friend.  The next day, Jerry hates Bob.  Stephanie and Loretta are best buddies on the cheer-leading squad.  Loretta steals Stephanie's boyfriend.  Stephanie now hates Loretta.

Such vacillating is a normal and healthy part of growing up.  As teens, normal people "try on" many different beliefs and attitudes.  And 10 or so years later, people have tried out many beliefs and attitudes in the world, and they come to some tentative conclusions about what matters and who they are.  Not Mitt.  Mitt is still in the vacillating mind-frame of a teenager in his 50s and 60s.

The main narrative floating around about Mitt's lack of a core is that it is the result of unscrupulousness or political opportunism.  That's simply not the case.  Mitt is not a scheming opportunist.  Mitt Romney is simply a child.  He is as qualified to lead as a teenager.