I think he does understand and is bitter Bobby, for it. A long time ago, I read an article that said he’d tried to elbow his way into Palm Beach society and was rebuffed as a loud, obnoxious, vulgar buffoon, came back when he had more money, bought Mar-a-Lago and was this time accepted. Not because of grace, social skills or any redeeming quality but money, meaning he probably very well understands he would have no friends, no loyalty, if he hadn’t the means to buy these things, while failing to understand he isn’t bright, funny, or valuable as anything other than a pawn. And he’s probably very lonely – money is a cold mistress, and fickle, too. I think he very well understands the consequences of slipping from money, power and usefulness, which is exactly why he fights so hard to keep these things. It isn’t because he overvalues himself, but because he very much undervalues himself, thereby placing emphasis and desperate hope on the public, but very false image he’s cultivated, with a lot of help from outside entities with much to gain from doing so. Otherwise he would be facing himself in the stark light of what way deep down, the subconscious knows - he’s spent his time, money and energy on things everyone has told him_should_ make him happy, and absolutely nothing on what could make him happy, which is being a person he can live with, should distractions fade away.

Let’s let the value judgement here be, do we really want the worst parts of ourselves leading us, individually or collectively? Because what we choose individually leads to the outcome.