Co-written by Aditya Simha at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

When asked, most people might say that charisma is a very special quality that makes others see you as confident and magnetic. These days, people online call this effortless charm "rizz."

But not all charisma is good for us. Some people pull us in not with kindness or skill, but through intimidation, aloofness, and emotional games. Online, this pattern also has a new name: "dark rizz." People with dark rizz might not be "likable" in the traditional sense, but they're strangely compelling. It's almost as if you can't look away.

None of this is news in psychology. Narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy—these are the traits the term "dark rizz" describes. Narcissists often project confidence so outsized it becomes its own gravity. Machiavellians can project a detached, calculating energy that people mistake for being the smartest person in the room. The fearlessness that comes with psychopathic tendencies? People often read that as someone who's unshakeable, especially when things get chaotic.

What's different now is how openly this pattern is being named, normalized, and........

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