Ivy Leaguers are trained, often from birth, that they are better than the rest of us plebs because of their “merit” and represent a superhuman caste. This guy was most likely the same way.
If you’re told that you’re a superhuman, then why not think you can get away with it?
Oh, it's not just Ivy League although of course that usually comes with a background of privilege and prestige that further compounds on this tendency. STEM people in general heavily demonstrate this tendency. MBA types too, although they tend to think the solution always comes down to treating everything as a business or privatization.
Intelligent people are not any less likely to be delusional than anyone. They are however, much better at convincing themselves and others of their delusions.
People that have logic training such as lawyers and engineers even more so.
If you’re told that you’re a superhuman, then why not think you can get away with it?