Originally posted by Christianbookworm
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Generally, people have a need to feel in control of the things that are happening to them. The extent of that need can vary by person. My wife has a significantly higher need than I do, for example. Environment and upbringing can reinforce or largely remove that need. People in low income families, suffer more often from illness, have been molested/abused/whatever, etc., could have some serious issues with control and therefore seek to exert that on others. That *doesn't* mean they succeed, but it may be something that shows up repeatedly in day to day interactions. I strongly suspect that a lot of the petty power struggles that show up everywhere are effectively people trying to meet that need for control. On the flip side, it could be possible for a person to become convinced that they'll never have control. If so, they'd be a lot less likely to exert their influence on others.
It's possible that religious individuals have a lower need for personal control because of their belief in a higher power that has ultimate control. Not to pick on Christianity specifically, but there are a lot of platitudes (e.g., all things work out, let go and let god, etc) that can reinforce the idea that things are being handled. It's frequently reinforced. That said, the basic human need still exists. It could even be said that some believers use prayer in part as a way to influence things (to whatever extent that believe that's possible).
Likewise, the desire for fame is effectively just a need to be recognized and feel wanted/needed/loved. Everyone wants to be noticed. A lot of us find it from friends and family. We see a constant stream of cries for attention in social media (how many likes do you have?). Seeking fame is just more of the same, albeit at a higher level. This too can be an upbringing thing. Maybe your parents were too busy, so you felt a constant need to get their attention however you could do it. Most people will strive to please their parents, even in areas where values don't overlap. How many people do you know that won't tell their parents or family something because they "don't want to disappoint them"?
I'd expect there to be common denominators between people that seek lots of power and/or fame, but I'd be surprised if you can really lump them all together. Similar outcomes can be driven by very different needs, after all. I think anyone claiming specific disorders are at work should be able to point to actual manifestations of the symptoms. Narcissism, for example, entails specific traits that are far more involved than simply seeking power or fame.
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