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Are we all narcissists now?
We have grown fond of pathologising normal behaviour.
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Psychologists were writing about narcissism even before the introduction of smartphones with front-facing cameras for selfies.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Jemima Kelly
Have you noticed how many people’s former partners or current bosses are narcissists these days – perhaps yours too? It is not that your friend’s relationship had just run its course or that there was any kind of compatibility problem; it is that your friend’s ex is a narcissist. It is not that you are not doing your job very well, or that your boss and you just don’t happen to get along; yes, your boss is a narcissist too.
We appear to be living in an age of narcissism. I cannot seem to open up my Apple Podcasts app without another episode on the subject popping up: “Understanding the narcissists in your life and what to do about them”; “How to leave a narcissist (part 2)”; “13 signs you’re sleeping with a narcissist”. There are entire YouTube channels dedicated to “Surviving Narcissism”.
