The Professions
of the Narcissist
By Sam Vaknin
Author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited"
The narcissist naturally gravitates towards those professions which
guarantee the abundant and uninterrupted provision of Narcissistic
Supply. He seeks to interact with people from a position of
authority, advantage, or superiority. He thus elicits their
automatic admiration, adulation, and affirmation - or, failing that,
their fear and obedience.
Several vocations meet these requirements: teaching, the priesthood,
show business, corporate management, the medical professions,
politics, and sports. It is safe to predict that narcissists would
be over-represented in these occupations.
The cerebral narcissist is likely to emphasize his intellectual
prowess and accomplishments (real and imaginary) in an attempt to
solicit supply from awe-struck students, devoted parishioners,
admiring voters, obsequious subordinates, or dependent patients. His
somatic counterpart derives his sense of self-worth from body
building, athletic achievements, tests of resilience or endurance,
and sexual conquests.
The narcissistic medical doctor or mental health professional and
his patients, the narcissistic guide, teacher, or mentor and his
students, the narcissistic leader, guru, pundit, or psychic and his
followers or admirers, and the narcissistic business tycoon, boss,
or employer and his underlings - all are instances of Pathological
Narcissistic Spaces.
This is a worrisome state of affairs. Narcissists are liars. They
misrepresent their credentials, knowledge, talents, skills, and
achievements. A narcissist medical doctor would rather let patients
die than expose his ignorance. A narcissistic therapist often
traumatizes his clients with his acting out, rage, exploitativeness,
and lack of empathy. Narcissistic businessmen bring ruin on their
firms and employees.
Moreover, even when all is "well", the narcissist's relationship
with his sycophants is abusive. He perceives others as objects, mere
instruments of gratification, dispensable and interchangeable. An
addict, the narcissist tends to pursue an ever-larger dose of
adoration, and an ever-bigger fix of attention, while gradually
losing what's left of his moral constraints.
When his sources become weary, rebellious, tired, bored, disgusted,
repelled, or plainly amused by the narcissist's incessant
dependence, his childish craving for attention, his exaggerated or
even paranoid fears which lead to obsessive-compulsive behaviours,
and his "drama queen" temper tantrums - he resorts to emotional
extortion, straight blackmail, abuse, or misuse of his authority,
and criminal or antisocial conduct. If these fail, the narcissist
devalues and discards the very people he so idealized and cherished
only a short while before.
As opposed to their "normal" colleagues or peers, narcissists in
authority lack empathy and ethical standards. Thus, they are prone
to immorally, cynically, callously and consistently abuse their
position. Their socialisation process - usually the product of
problematic early relationships with Primary Objects (parents, or
caregivers) - is often perturbed and results in social
dysfunctioning.
Nor is the narcissist deterred by possible punishment or regards
himself subject to Man-made laws. His sense of entitlement coupled
with the conviction of his own superiority lead him to believe in
his invincibility, invulnerability, immunity, and divinity. The
narcissist holds human edicts, rules, and regulations in disdain and
human penalties in disdain. He regards human needs and emotions as
weaknesses to be predatorily exploited.
By Sam Vaknin
Author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited"
The narcissist naturally gravitates towards those professions which
guarantee the abundant and uninterrupted provision of Narcissistic
Supply. He seeks to interact with people from a position of
authority, advantage, or superiority. He thus elicits their
automatic admiration, adulation, and affirmation - or, failing that,
their fear and obedience.
Several vocations meet these requirements: teaching, the priesthood,
show business, corporate management, the medical professions,
politics, and sports. It is safe to predict that narcissists would
be over-represented in these occupations.
The cerebral narcissist is likely to emphasize his intellectual
prowess and accomplishments (real and imaginary) in an attempt to
solicit supply from awe-struck students, devoted parishioners,
admiring voters, obsequious subordinates, or dependent patients. His
somatic counterpart derives his sense of self-worth from body
building, athletic achievements, tests of resilience or endurance,
and sexual conquests.
The narcissistic medical doctor or mental health professional and
his patients, the narcissistic guide, teacher, or mentor and his
students, the narcissistic leader, guru, pundit, or psychic and his
followers or admirers, and the narcissistic business tycoon, boss,
or employer and his underlings - all are instances of Pathological
Narcissistic Spaces.
This is a worrisome state of affairs. Narcissists are liars. They
misrepresent their credentials, knowledge, talents, skills, and
achievements. A narcissist medical doctor would rather let patients
die than expose his ignorance. A narcissistic therapist often
traumatizes his clients with his acting out, rage, exploitativeness,
and lack of empathy. Narcissistic businessmen bring ruin on their
firms and employees.
Moreover, even when all is "well", the narcissist's relationship
with his sycophants is abusive. He perceives others as objects, mere
instruments of gratification, dispensable and interchangeable. An
addict, the narcissist tends to pursue an ever-larger dose of
adoration, and an ever-bigger fix of attention, while gradually
losing what's left of his moral constraints.
When his sources become weary, rebellious, tired, bored, disgusted,
repelled, or plainly amused by the narcissist's incessant
dependence, his childish craving for attention, his exaggerated or
even paranoid fears which lead to obsessive-compulsive behaviours,
and his "drama queen" temper tantrums - he resorts to emotional
extortion, straight blackmail, abuse, or misuse of his authority,
and criminal or antisocial conduct. If these fail, the narcissist
devalues and discards the very people he so idealized and cherished
only a short while before.
As opposed to their "normal" colleagues or peers, narcissists in
authority lack empathy and ethical standards. Thus, they are prone
to immorally, cynically, callously and consistently abuse their
position. Their socialisation process - usually the product of
problematic early relationships with Primary Objects (parents, or
caregivers) - is often perturbed and results in social
dysfunctioning.
Nor is the narcissist deterred by possible punishment or regards
himself subject to Man-made laws. His sense of entitlement coupled
with the conviction of his own superiority lead him to believe in
his invincibility, invulnerability, immunity, and divinity. The
narcissist holds human edicts, rules, and regulations in disdain and
human penalties in disdain. He regards human needs and emotions as
weaknesses to be predatorily exploited.
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