One person can often knock the whole apple cart off balance. We see this is in our families. We see this in our workplaces. We see this in our schools. We see this in government. While I am not an expert on narcissism, I have long held an interest in this unique personality disorder. The problem with narcissists is that their perceptions are often markedly off from the rest of society, and as anybody who has ever battled with a narcissist knows, no amount of rational argument is going to change that perception. Narcissists know on some level that they are out of step with the rest of society, but the disorder itself prevents them from seeing the truth as others see it, and so they lash out determined to keep their warped perceptions in place. To them, they are never the problem. The problem is always everybody else. The narcissist thinks they are far too smart, far too insightful, and far to perfect to ever be the problem.
Unfortunately, narcissists are drawn to positions of power, glamour, and prestige. We are likely to find them at the top of social hierarchies throughout society. Their charm and grace easily pave the way for their success. An unchallenged narcissist is likely to go far and even accomplish productive and meaningful outcomes. But, sooner or later, the narcissist becomes their own worst enemy and their overreaching tendencies begin to cause conflict with others. Once a narcissist finds themselves embroiled in conflict - watch out. A narcissist knows no limits to self-protection. All out war in a narcissistic-fueled conflict complete with scorched-people policies become the norm. Nobody is safe.
If this sounds familiar, you have likely engaged with a narcissist at some point in time. If this sounds like the the recent government shutdown fiasco, then we can reasonably assume there is some narcissism at play in Washington, D.C. On a macro-level, we need to do a better job of teasing out potential problems with our public servants before they are elected. Bombast and charisma may sound and look great on the campaign trail, but can be disastrous in a chamber when expecting reason and compromise. On a personal level, the best defense against a narcissist is disengagement. There is no winning here. Wish them well, and then get away fast.
Be kind to each other (from afar is okay) and to yourself.
Unfortunately, narcissists are drawn to positions of power, glamour, and prestige. We are likely to find them at the top of social hierarchies throughout society. Their charm and grace easily pave the way for their success. An unchallenged narcissist is likely to go far and even accomplish productive and meaningful outcomes. But, sooner or later, the narcissist becomes their own worst enemy and their overreaching tendencies begin to cause conflict with others. Once a narcissist finds themselves embroiled in conflict - watch out. A narcissist knows no limits to self-protection. All out war in a narcissistic-fueled conflict complete with scorched-people policies become the norm. Nobody is safe.
If this sounds familiar, you have likely engaged with a narcissist at some point in time. If this sounds like the the recent government shutdown fiasco, then we can reasonably assume there is some narcissism at play in Washington, D.C. On a macro-level, we need to do a better job of teasing out potential problems with our public servants before they are elected. Bombast and charisma may sound and look great on the campaign trail, but can be disastrous in a chamber when expecting reason and compromise. On a personal level, the best defense against a narcissist is disengagement. There is no winning here. Wish them well, and then get away fast.
Be kind to each other (from afar is okay) and to yourself.
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