I was thinking a bit ago about how easy it would be for extreme success of any kind to tip someone into a kind of religious psychosis, a belief that one is some kind of main character in history or possessed of a divine mandate.

Anyone even a little bit prone to that kind of thinking could be pushed way into it by such an experience.

It’s not that these people are somehow worse than others. If you experienced runaway success and then ended up surrounded with people praising and yes-ing you (because they want your money), how long could you remain sane and grounded?

You also see it with celebrities, Nobel prize winners, politicians, people who become heroes to some movement, even social media personalities that gain huge followings and get “audience captured.”