I've seen it with CEO types, they are egocentric so don't realize that not everyone wants to be like them, or hold the same beliefs. They prop up their fragile ego with "I'm the best, people want what I have" self talk.

He understands perfectly. He just likes playing the poor oppressed white guy.

I don't wonder if it's because he's bought and paid for so many "yes-men" around him, surrounded by sycophants when he sees people talk poorly about him, it just doesn't line up with his day to day world view he bought. I doubt a single engineer who works for him has ever told him no, or that what he's doing is dumb.