Evil Dictators With Some Surprisingly Petty Hobbies
Dictators love pretending they operate on some higher plane, as if every breath they take reshapes history. Yet away from the microphones, many quietly nurtured hobbies so petty they could have been lifted from a high school talent show that nobody asked for.
One polished stamp. Another fussed over pastries. Several hid in private rooms, crafting poems, building tiny trains, or rearranging household items with the intensity of men outrunning their own reputations. The contrast is almost comforting in its absurdity.
Their cruelty never shrinks. Their egos never soften. But their hobbies reveal a surprising truth. Power breaks people in funny ways.
Kim Jong-il
Collected more than twenty thousand films and sang private karaoke with enthusiasm.
Reza Pahlavi
Built one of the world’s most valuable stamp collections with meticulous cataloging.
Mobutu Sese Seko
Collected extravagant hats and leopard-skin clothing as part of his signature look.
Mengistu Haile Mariam
Logged hours swimming in indoor pools and maintained a steady hunting routine.
Pol Pot
Listened to European classical music and carved wood in quiet sessions.
Ferdinand Marcos
Cultivated rare orchids and designed palace gardens with meticulous detail.
Saparmurat Niyazov
Wrote children’s stories and poems centered on himself alongside his national text.
Rafael Trujillo
Accumulated uniforms and self-awarded medals that required special support to wear.
Augusto Pinochet
Practiced embroidery in his spare time and collected lead military figurines.
Papa Doc Duvalier
Wrote self-glorifying poetry and mixed it with Vodou themes to reinforce authority.
Muammar Gaddafi
Designed his own elaborate uniforms and traveled with a personal tent he insisted on using abroad.
Francisco Franco
Searched for historical treasure and dedicated regular time to fishing.
Nicolae Ceaușescu
Oversaw family hairstyles and outfits to maintain a tightly managed image.
Benito Mussolini
Played violin seriously and performed fencing routines to project discipline.
Fidel Castro
Bred dairy cattle obsessively and promoted record yields from his favorite cow.
Mao Zedong
Spent extended hours swimming in private pools as part of his personal routine.
Saddam Hussein
Wrote long romantic novels while running the country with absolute control.
Adolf Hitler
Designed opera costumes and rearranged interiors despite failing as a fine arts painter.
Joseph Stalin
Doodled wolf heads on official papers while taking calls or signing state decisions.
Idi Amin
Enjoyed the accordion and set up miniature toy car races throughout the palace.
