The poorest individual is the one whose sense of poverty can't be swayed. Narcissism is, at its core, an inability to care for oneself, as being the best isn't necessarily what's best for oneself. The narcissistically inclined person is gripped by an emotional blindness, failing to register the effects of his decisions even on himself.

Most therapists who deal with narcissistically structured patients know the extent of the paradox of this ailment. Preoccupied with control and appearance, those obsessions guide almost every thought, action, and feeling.

We tend to think of narcissistic individuals as being self-possessed, confident, and able to move about in the world more freely than the average person. That, in part, is why they're often so despised. Unlike obsessive-compulsive disorder or borderline personality disorder, where it may appear as though the person lacks control over their behavior, the narcissistic projection of dominance creates the illusion of deliberation. Yet the ailment, marked by extreme impulsivity, is far from anything that we may conceive of........

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