John William Waterhouse – Echo and Narcissus
“Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that enthralled him, he would be set free in a few years by its fading.” — W. H. Auden
“As individuals and as a nation, we now suffer from social narcissism. The beloved Echo of our ancestors, the virgin America, has been abandoned. We have fallen in love with our own image, with images of our making, which turn out to be images of ourselves.” — Daniel J. Boorstin
“America has been knocked-up with democracy’s mutant love child. She has finally borne the demonic spawn of greed, narcissism and civilian indifference. (Congrats on a second term Mr Bush).” — Jules Carlysle
“I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity.” — Diana Vreeland
“Narcissism and self-deception are survival mechanisms without which many of us might just jump off a bridge.” — Todd Solondz
“Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people.” — Andre Dubus
“We’re making far too big a deal out of our sexual preferences. It’s just another form of narcissism, and I think it can be a big problem and a tremendous obstacle.” — Andrew Cohen
“Whoever loves becomes humble. Those who love have, so to speak, pawned a part of their narcissism.” — Sigmund Freud
“ I think you live more and become more familiar with the workings of your own mind — the darkness in it, the narcissism — and the desperate attempts the ego makes to cover that up.” — Patrick Page
“The paradox about narcissism is that we all have this streak of egotism. Eighty percent of people think they’re better than average.” — Mark Leary
“In males, narcissism is something that has been associated with immaturity. Classically, it’s something men are supposed to abandon to become adult males. Today, consumerism tells all males that … they never need abandon their narcissism. That they never need grow up. Just so long as they buy the right products.” — Mark Simpson
“Narcissism is an occupational hazard for political leaders. You have to have an outsized ambition and an outsized ego to run for office.” — Stanley Renshon
“Because that’s what narcissism is all about; looking in the mirror everyday and thinking ‘Damn, I’d like to shag myself.’” — Eddie Izzard
“I have come to realize that we live in a society that encourages narcissistic behavior. And there is an explosion on the internet of sites devoted to narcissism, as well as narcissistic web sites; youtube, my space, etc…” — Stephen McDonnell
T-shirt logo via despair.com
“Narcissism doesn’t mean you think you’re the greatest person on earth, but rather that all things in the world are relevant only as they impact you…. Being on YouTube, having a blog, having an iPod, being on MySpace– all of these things are self-validating, they allow that illusion that is so important to narcissists: that we are the main characters in a movie. Not that we’re the best, or the good guys, but the main characters. That everyone around us is supporting cast; the funny friend, the crazy ex, the neurotic mother, the egotistical date, etc. That makes reminders of our insignificance even more infuriating.” — The Last Psychiatrist
6 Responses
Here’s an interesting thought. If we view ourselves as part of one universal whole, then all narcissism would simply mean is we’re enthralled with everything because we are part of it and it is part of us. In this way, we could say, “Hooray for the narcissists!”
Perhaps, but usually narcissism implies separation of the self from others, so denies we are part of the universal whole… I suppose narcissistic Taoist is sort of a contradiction in terms, though…
Yes, we COULD say “Hooray for the narcissists!” But, since Americans don’t have a Zen mind set like many people in Asia who put the group first and are the most neurotic people on the planet and the fattest with all the emotional eating from being empty on the inside and using food and their friend instead of having real, connected, meaningful relationships and going into credit card debt trying to buy happiness; maybe we shouldn’t…
The last quote, by (or from) “The Last Psychiatrist” is interesting. It says nothing but the simple truth, that we are each the center of our own universe, the main character in our own lives. It is no “illusion” that we are each the main character in our own movie, it is the simple truth.
I know nothing but what I perceive (perception includes any form or method by which information arrives at my mind). All is outwards from me; I am the center of my universe. Not yours, nor that of various “pundits,” “sages,” “gurus,” or others fond of saying things as though they have seen truths which I have not. Does this prevent me, and many other humans, from acting kindly, generously, lovingly? No, it doesn’t. That doesn’t make it any less a matter of fact.
Advertisers/sellers long ago learned that the way into my wallet has to do with tinkering with my view of myself, or “self image.” They, at least, do not criticize or devalue the universal truth of ego-centrism, they treat it as an established fact, and make much hay therefrom.
Without “narcissism” would anyone ever write a book, deliver a speech, make “quotable quotes?” Is the Dalai Lama any less a “narcissist” than the pathetic football player “Ochocinco?” I don’t see the Dalai Lama hiding his light under a bushel, do you? I intentionally omit making any value judgment about their respective forms of seeking the public eye, I am not the center of anyone else’s universe, or arbiter of their choice of expression or entertainment, and I cannot fathom why anyone would care about my preferences.
I think I’ve been sounding cranky in my comments on your blog of late. I’ve been thinking about why. I decided it involves a reluctance to say what I really mean. So I’ll say it:
I would much prefer to read what you have to say than all the pundits, sages, gurus, and other folks you quote. I should have said that a long time ago.
Hmm. But a lot of what I have to say was already said, and that’s why I quote them. Plus I like the diversity of opinions…
But I will try to write more about what I’m thinking, then, which is more what I used to do. But… that seems a bit narcissistic. ;^)