Perhaps you're more familiar with that other feel-good "drug," which has the same effect of making you invulnerable to seeing your own faults. It's called hate. For example, the main reason Islamic culture is so notoriously non-introspective, blaming everyone and everything else for its own gargantuan problems, is because so many Muslims (though obviously not all) have been pumped up with hate. Hatred for Jews in particular and all "infidels" (non-Muslims) in general, as well as hatred and blame toward women, or toward the other varieties of Muslims, and so on, renders them literally unable to see themselves and their faults. Their hatred acts like a narcotic drug that takes away their conscience-pain and recognition of their faults that would otherwise naturally impress itself on their minds. They are filled instead with the ecstasy of false righteousness based on infidel-hatred.
"that the people of the book (that is Christians and Jews who have revealed scriptures) should be spared as long as they pay tribute and acknowledge their position as second class citizens."
Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Lst Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e.; Islam) among the people of the Scripture (jews and christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.