"Narcissism" ◆ The Loneliness of an Arrogant Power Seeker

Chunichi Shimbun Morning Edition – July 28, 2006

When listing the greatest films of all time, Citizen Kane (1941, USA) is always among the top. Based on a true story, this masterpiece portrays the loneliness of a man consumed by his relentless pursuit of power and fame. Orson Welles, only 25 at the time, took on the roles of writer, director, and lead actor.

The film opens with the death of Charles Foster Kane, a powerful figure in the newspaper industry. With his final breath, he utters the mysterious words “Rosebud.” Journalists, intrigued, begin tracking down those who knew him, gradually revealing the story of his life.

Kane was born to poor parents. However, after an unexpected turn of fortune made his mother wealthy, she sent Kane to live with a banker guardian to protect him from his violent father. The separation marked the beginning of a life apart from his family.

As an adult, Kane inherited a vast fortune and bought a struggling newspaper as his first major venture. Adopting the sensational motto “scandal over dignity,” he rapidly turned it into a booming success.

Kane was not only talented but ruthlessly ambitious—poaching star reporters from rival papers and attacking political opponents who crossed him. He even married the niece of the president and aimed to enter politics himself. However, a scandal involving an affair derailed his aspirations and destroyed his family.

His second wife was a failed singer with whom he had had the affair. Determined to fulfill her dreams, Kane built her an opera house and cast her in the lead role. He also bought a luxurious mansion and filled it with priceless art, but none of this could salvage their marriage. When Kane pleaded, “I love you. Please don’t leave me,” she coldly replied, “You only care about what happens to you—not about what happens to me.”

A person as arrogant and hurtful as Kane might today be diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, a condition often rooted in childhood emotional neglect. In the film’s final scene, it is suggested that “Rosebud” refers to a cherished object from Kane’s childhood—a symbol of the simpler, happier time he lost.

This powerful story reminds us that true happiness is not found in wealth or power. It’s a message that still resonates today.