ST 2 - The N Word
Summary: It probably isn't the one you are thinking. There is a new n-word that has risen through the ranks to be the ultimate slur … narcissist. But, is being narcissistic really the evil that it is portrayed to be? Are we really experiencing a Narcissism Epidemic, as some have asserted? Or, is narcissism, like many other psychological terms, simply misunderstood?<br><br>The vilification of narcissism has been in the works for several decades and has now reached the point where it is the accusation of choice. If someone promotes their ideas, or themselves, they are a narcissist. If they feel that they are special, they are a narcissist.<br><br>I had been planning on doing an episode on narcissism and selfishness later, but in light of recent allegations against Crazy Heart (I know, he wants the topic dropped, but I feel that it needs to be discussed), I decided to move it forward.<br><br>On July 27th, please join me live at 7 pm eastern (UTC-5) to discuss the following:<br><br>History of narcissism in psychoanalytical thought (From Freud, Kohut, Kernberg, to the modern idea that we are in a Narcissism Epidemic)<br>The myth of Narcissus and Echo (huh? Did you forget about Echo? That is actually apt, according to legend)<br>The need (or drive) to feel special<br>The narcissism spectrum<br>Selfishness, selflessness and servitude<br>The hypocritical views, or double standards, of egotism and service, from my observations on social media, and to some extent, within our local communities.<br>The need for assertive language, which is dependant on expression of one's self (I feel, I need, I want), in order to maintain healthy relationships and communicate effectively.<br>For this episode, I will be drawing primarily from two sources, as well as a variety of other resources:<br><br>Malkin, C. (n.d.), Rethinking narcissism: The bad - and surprising good - about feeling special.<br>Select essays from Rand, A., & Branden, N. (1964). The virtue of selfishness, a new concept of egoism. New York: New American Library.
