Are you a Narcissist?

[dant]

I ask myself: "Do you instantly, without thought, put yourself first before others?"
Of course, every darn time! -Sigh-, the C's says we are STS, it's a 7 for me.

 

[whitecoast]

“To what extent do you agree with this statement: “I am a narcissist.” (Note: The word “narcissist” means egotistical, self-focused, and vain.)”

Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is “not very true of me” and 7 is “very true of me”.

What would an actual narcissist say in response to this question? I'm sure a lot would claim 7 because they see themselves as so altruistic because of the things they do for their families or friends. Then you go and speak to people who are raised by those narcissists and they report how controlling and manipulative and insinuating all their "good deeds" are.

I just noticed I made a mistake in thinking 7 is low. I meant to say many narcissists would select 1 because they feel so hard done by others, even after all the good deeds they do.

 

[Skyalmian]

This subject seems to be tied to _http://www.lynneforrest.com/articles/2008/06/the-faces-of-victim and "The Dangers of the White Knight Syndrome"...

Maybe an additional trait of a narcissist is the sense that one is " _http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=walking%20on%20eggshells " around them... :/

Somewhere between 5 & 7.

 

[Cyre2067]

4 or 5. I think I'm pretty awesome, but I'm not a jerk about it.

 

[nf3]

AI nailed it. People who are programmed to be food will rate themselves lower than 7 because they've been trained to hate self-interest. The people who feed on them simply don't care.

 

[Redrock12]

Probably 4. Not sure why, but my empathy level seems to have increased, probably due to the influence of Gurdjieff, the recommended readings, Sott, and growing old.
It's hard to argue with ear and nose hair and liver spots, and being in bed by 10.

 

[pete02]

At first I was gonna shoot a little lower but after reading some of the replies I'd have to honestly give myself a 5. I think I've improved a lot in recent years but I know there's still plenty of ego to go around at times.

 

[Aya]

“To what extent do you agree with this statement: “I am a narcissist.” (Note: The word “narcissist” means egotistical, self-focused, and vain.)”

Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is “not very true of me” and 7 is “very true of me”.

When I read the above question (without reading anybody's responses), immediately I thought I rate myself 4.
But I have to admit that I am more narcissistic than I think I am.

 

[dugdeep]

4 or 5. I think I'm pretty awesome, but I'm not a jerk about it.

Well put. I think that applies to me too. I think anyone who is a 6 or 7 would be a character disturbed narcissist, and so that rating probably wouldn't apply to anyone answering on this thread. At the same time, a 1 or 2 would be someone completely selfless, STO, and probably wouldn't exist in this STS realm.

 

[whitecoast]

I'm amazed to see nobody has made the connection yet to this article on SotT:

http://www.sott.net/article/283298-Can-one-simple-question-identify-narcissistic-people

As for the question itself, I suppose I would score low but I'm unable to say how low exactly, and I'm not particularly interested to know either.

Hope this helps a bit. :)

I think this study proves one thing: that non-pathologicals perceive narcissism negatively, and are therefore more unwilling to admit their own narcissistic traits. Real narcissists (i.e. pathologicals) just don't care.

I think anyone who's honest with themselves and answers the question as it is asked can't help but agree. Anything else is lying to the self, IMO. It's not pretty or flattering, but I don't think I've met very many persons who are not egotistical, self-focused, or vain, myself included. I've met a lot of people who would never think of themselves in those terms, and many people who fight such tendencies in themselves, but that's a different matter. OSIT!

The question "as it is asked," I think, relates to two definitions of "narcissistic." There's the trait of self-love, which is more akin to "self-esteem" than "narcissism" in terms of its use and connotations. On the other side there's the personality disorder of narcissism, which is a pathologically high level of self-esteem that is uncoupled from any sort of objective or social inputs/evaluations. Going with the former, I have a hard time believing that "non-pathologicals perceive 'narcissism' negatively," since everyone applauds self-respect and self-esteem to the degree that people think a person has earned it.

To me, going with the "we're all 7 if we're honest" route in terms of the mental disorder of narcissism trivializes and destroys the value of narcissism as a diagnostic category for classifying individuals, their temperaments, and whether they should be associated with or not. As for the interpretation of the question as "Are you STS or STO?" or "Are you selfish or altruistic?), going to 7 once again trivializes the actual distinctions between people that actually exist. We are not all equally altruistic or selfish.

For me, it is far more interesting to try and identify how we differ in this respect, rather than how we are the same.

 

[Turgon]

4 or 5. I think I'm pretty awesome, but I'm not a jerk about it.

LOL!

My immediate response was a 4.5. I definitely meet the criteria of having narcissistic tendencies but I wouldn't say I am a narcissist (7). I think over the years and especially the last few months, I've seen a steady decrease in those tendencies, or maybe more appropriately I've been learning to not identify with those traits and have a good laugh over how pointless it is to be so 'into myself'. But that's a definite work in progress but there isn't definite value in thinking of others more than myself and that is helping to create a healthier ego rather than an overblown/grandiose one, or at the other end, a worthless sense of one's self.

I do know a person who I've thought for years has met the criteria for being highly narcissistic and I saw some similarities in our behaviour at times, but I found that they couldn't handle criticism of any kind and would almost always default all situations where their behaviour or actions were inconsiderate as ultimately being the other persons fault.

Another tendency that stood out was proijecting other peoples actions as somehow having to do something with them, even in situations where it wasn't the case whatsoever. I'm guilty of doing this a lot, but I think the big caveat is realizing this and trying to come to a better understanding that the world doesn't revolve around you. I would think big-time Narcissists can't/won't do this or actually believe that the world actually DOES revolve around them but may not admit to it or not see this in their behaviour.

Just some thoughts.

 

[zim]

I think that it is like a 6 for me

 

[zulhelmi]

I was probably 6 many years ago, then I found Laura's work and changed my shallow lifestyle. I assumed that was the way to live. Now I'm trying to deprogram my self with the Work.

 

[nf3]

The question "as it is asked," I think, relates to two definitions of "narcissistic."

No, it doesn't. The question was very clear.

 

[David]

God what a question... how can one answer that question and know that its correct, “4” BTW

The fourth way material, which is pretty much self-centred, not so much centre of the world... but there’s a lot of I’s... programs/buffers - false personality... it primarily about self and other... so maybe high numbers not true reflection of reality...

Took the version of the test Nicklebleu provided... couldn’t answer two or three of them seemed like the same thing... and got a score of 1.

Though thinking about again... would system one and system two, have a bearing...

Got zero... Something wrong here... being this obsessed can’t be right. LOL

Well at any rate, what ever Laura thinks is fine with me... if she was not who she is... not sure if I would have found a life line, through the recommended reading material, to build a little strength... family seem to think something change in me, in a good way.

A 7 like Laura...could be good for the world... bad for PTB