Did you know Adolf Hitler considered himself an artistic genius?
Now, I don’t know much about art, but I reckon my son’s primary school finger paintings deserve more attention than what I’ve seen of Hitler’s attempts.
Then there was Losif Dzhugashvili, who was so obsessed with his own ego and image, that he gave himself the name “Man of Steel,” or Stalin, and proceeded to execute anyone who didn’t think equally highly of him.
Africa wasn’t short of such narcissistic despots either.
The more colourful of the lot was, of course, Uganda’s President Idi Amin, who, in addition to giving himself the title of “Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth," also crowned himself “Conqueror of the British Empire” and “King of Scotland”.
I was reminded of all of this madness last week when I saw a video of Russia’s Vladimir Putin playing ice hockey somewhere.
It was so comical to watch a few opposing players desperately trying to not make it so obvious that they are letting him win.
At one point he scores, but only after one player clearly allows him to pass and the goalie makes a half-hearted attempt at doing his job.
The same sort of stage-managing happens in North-Korea, where school children are taught that President Kim Jong-un was a child prodigy, who could drive a car at the age of three and shoot a 50m bull’s eye at the age of seven.
But that’s nothing compared to his father, Kim Jong-il, who reportedly could walk by the time he was three weeks old, and was talking five weeks later.
Don’t get me started on the operas and 1 500 books he wrote, movies he made and 11 holes in one he golfed. In his first and only game!
Which brings me to the point of my story - Donald Trump.
If Kim’s 38-under par golf raises eyebrows of disbelief, then Trump’s well-documented golf cheating brings on an audible chuckle.
In fact, Trump has posted golf score cards that some of the best golfers in the world would envy.
Now, personally, I treat golf with suspicion. I think it’s an intensely stupid game that allows people to let their privilege hang out for all to see.
But I respect the fact that it requires a level of honesty and gentlemanliness that clearly escapes Trump.
Last year, his doctor announced to the press that, thanks to his “excellent genes," the 72-year-old Trump weighed in at 108kgs and was therefore in “perfect health”.
His next medical check-up is due this week, and the same is expected.
I don’t have to point out the similarities between the men above, right?