Ah, the life of Joseph Smith. You either love the guy or you don’t. This article isn’t so much about the Mormon Church and Smith’s accomplishments in his relatively short-lived life as it is a chronological look at his behavior pattern.
The young man certainly had a zest for flair and wasted no time displaying acts of grandiose ideals along with misplaced leadership skills. With the drive to lead we oft times find other parts of a personality emerge bordering obsession. If a person like this hasn’t the opportunity for a mentor who can help tame the wild side, you’re usually left with dictators. It’s up to the reader to decide if Smith fit those shoes.