Most men realize they are not a great athlete, although the majority are convinced they could be a great coach. Most men know they are not great artists, but they know great art when they see it. Most men realize they would not make good soldiers, but most are convinced they are gifted military strategists and tacticians. Most men realize they will never be a scientist, or a scholar, or an intellectual, but they know none of that matters because they have “common sense” and street smarts.

No man will admit to himself he’s not clever, or that he’s lazy, or that he lacks ambition and initiative and creativity. And no man will ever admit to himself he’s a coward, or that he’s selfish, or greedy or irresponsible. And I suspect no man has ever considered himself no damn good. And of course, every man considers himself a good politician, and a good businessman, if only he had a chance to prove it.

So when things don’t work out the way they’d like, its always someone elses fault. Every man knows that if it wasn’t for them, he could be great. Its always someone elses stupidity, or cowardice, or conceit, or pride, or crime (or religion or race or politics). “They” are always at fault. You know, its the same “they” who are ruining the country, or stabbing us in the back, or stealing us blind, or not fixing the potholes fast enough in the springtime.

And there are always a few men who know this about other men, and are ready to exploit it for their own benefit.