VL--IV, that "charismatic boyfriend"

[Mark Kohut]

p.58 "charismatic" ..boyfriend. The concept first defined in depth by Max Weber. See his famous essay. "In its simplest form, charisma is defined by Weber as "a certain quality of an individual personality by virtue of which he is considered extraordinary and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities" (Weber 1978: 242). ... Instead, whatever the charismatic leader says is right not because it makes sense, or because it coincides with what has always been done, but because the leader says it. Orders can therefore be completely whimsical, self-contradictory and even lead to death or destruction for the follower, demonstrating the disciple's inner emotional compulsion to obey without regard for coherence or consequence."

"Charismatic leaders voiced overarching goals, communicated high performance expectations to followers, and exhibited confidences in follower ability to meet those high expectations (Howell & Frost, 1989: 251). In their charismatic character roles, actors were coached to use nonverbal cues such as extended eye contact, using vocal variety, speaking in a relaxed posture, and using animated facial expression. The more structuring and considerate leaderly-characters said the same lines but with less dynamic non-verbal cues."

Pynchon distrusts charisma--where power over another starts (if allowed by the other [Baudrillard]), I suggest. See it shown as disastrous in GR especially and AtD some.
I think part of Pynchon's vision of socially healthy human beings touches bottom here: We should NOT follow leaders, only ourselves, not be a disciple of anyone. Even of him, I think he would say. One major reason he may refuse all awards and honors, imho.  "Don't follow leaders; watch the parking meters.---B. Dylan. Very 60s Zeitgeist, I would offer.

"reverse presence": nice phrase to characterize the feeling of charismatic authority in its absence. Such 'reverse presence' awareness of charismatic authority creates paranoia when you think on it.