Re: personality traits of narcissism

by Leslie Conner-Maiyo, Corvallis

I am an interested student of personality type and the following one has become a real intrigue, since it appears to be affecting our government. I have researched it from the sources listed below and this is a result of my findings. I hope your readers also find it interesting.

NARCISSISM is a personality disorder found in people at different levels. Malignant narcissism involves a heightened level of self-importance, a constant need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and a sense of entitlement, often accompanied by manipulative and exploitative behaviors, aggression, and a lack of remorse.  These individuals may also exhibit vindictiveness, and have a tendency to derive pleasure from the suffering of others. They have a constant need for admiration and approval from others. They believe that they deserve special treatment and should not be subject to the same rules as others, and use others to gain personal advantage. They show signs of vindictiveness and often desire to seek revenge. With heightened paranoia, they are very suspicious of others, even feeling people are “out to get” them. They can show a lack of remorse and a failure to feel guilt or regret for harm done to others, thereby enhancing their own sense of wellbeing.   

The notion of malignant narcissism originates from self-help entities and law enforcement communities, not in psychiatry. These communities have focused on malignant narcissism as a behavioral judgement and a specific form of abuse, rather than a mental health diagnosis. People with this personality supposedly get a sense of satisfaction from hurting others and may manipulate people or lie to gain money, acclaim, and other things they desire. A person with malignant narcissism may harm others to gain attention, feeding their sense of superiority, and to get what they want. For this reason a person may also have traits of antisocial personality disorder. These include: disregard for or hostility towards the rights of others, aggression and violence, lack of remorse, a tendency to lie, break  the law, chronic irresponsibility, and impulsive or reckless behavior..  however, they may appear superficially charming. They may manipulate people to gain praise or lie about others to depict themselves in a more flattering light.

There are successful people in business who show these traits and are successful, until people don’t want to be around or work with them anymore.  Some infamous political names of people of this type are: Adolf Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Great. The spectrum of personal aggrandizement is what sets some people totally apart from their peers. 

References: Mayo Clinic, Medical News Today, Verywell Health