I Have Narcissistic Personality Disorder
My wife often asks, “What’s wrong with you?” Now we know.
Thanks to David Hornik, I can safely be diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), or as Hornik calls it, “VCitis.”
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is “indicated by five (or more) of the following:”
- Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g. exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements).
- Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
- Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).
- Requires excessive admiration.
- Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations.
- Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends.
- Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
- Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her.
- Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
Hmmm, now that I’m officially mentally ill, I wonder if I qualify for protection under the ADA act?
we’ve obviously talked about this and i’ve blogged about htis a fair amount…..At first I was with you, but now, after talking to psycholgists and others, NPD’s are *unbearable* to be around since they feel they’re so god damned important. I, like you, am a narcissitc jackass, but I’m not unbearable to be around. I’m not mentally ill!
Of course this is a bit tongue-in-cheek. After all, surely not everyone finds me unbearable…or at least they’re doing a good job of concealing their repugnance.
Nonetheless, I think it’s interesting that many of the characteristics of NPD are reflected in the culture of Silicon Valley. Such tendencies are both a curse and a blessing.