Narcissism and the media

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      In this era, I could have probably placed any occupation in the headline after the words "Narcissism and..."

      I might have written about "Narcissism and the medical profession." Or "Narcissism and teaching". Or even "Narcissism and the church" or "Narcissism and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions."

      But because I work in the media, I'm going to focus on this area.

      Narcissistic personality disorder isn't uncommon in North American society. Here's the definition that you'll find on the Mayo Clinic website.

      Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. Those with narcissistic personality disorder believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.

      I believe that some narcissists are attracted to working in the media because it gives them a giant pulpit that reinforces their sense of self-importance. Of course, the same is true of teaching, medicine, the ministry, and other areas. They're all fields that can attract disciples.

      When we create stories, we often receive a great deal of feedback, which is what any narcissist craves.

      Some people who work in the media are notoriously sensitive to criticism. Others are sometimes accused of having little regard for people's feelings. And a few journalists consistently attract a great deal of conflict, which I believe is rooted in their inability to see things through other people's eyes. They're always right. The narcissist is always right.

      Those in the media who fit this profile also have a deep-seated need to denigrate other people. I believe it's done in order to lift themselves up, which helps them maintain their fragile self-esteem. This is not acted out consciously—and they would be the last ones to recognize this within themselves. They often appear to be the most confident people in any room.

      People who feel they've been stung by an unfair, mean-spirited, and scathing denunciation in the media should keep all of this in mind. When this happens, it's hard to feel sorry for the perpetrator. But if we're truly loving individuals, we should try to recognize that underneath all that rage and bile, there's probably a scared little boy or girl who was treated very badly in their childhood—and who is deserving of our compassion.

      Sometimes, the critics are right and we are wrong. And we are deserving of some sort of public correction by the media. But other times, it's the journalist's own psychological issues that are behind the outburst. It's not always easy to distinguish between the two, particularly if our own narcissism comes into play.

      I'll close with a quote from Martin Luther King, in a speech he gave in 1957 about dealing with so-called "enemies":

      "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

      Comments

      13 Comments

      Breklor

      Mar 1, 2012 at 12:55pm

      Re. the MLK quote - it's on the wall of the Catholic Assembly building downtown, at Robson & Cambie, attributed to Pope JP2. Interesting.

      Incidentally, I find that when battling hate, all the love in the world doesn't hold a candle to the right knowledge.

      DavidH

      Mar 1, 2012 at 1:25pm

      Sigh. Well I guess I have to say it, even though I don't want to say it.

      The Straight is, without doubt, the "prickliest" media outlet I have encountered on the web. Martin Dunphy, as just one example, can't seem to restrain himself from commenting on comments ... which is extremely "bad form" for a columnist with easy access to the "pages" of the Straight.

      Play it "straight" or play it "Straight", it's up to you. But don't pretend to be what you're not.

      piqued

      Mar 1, 2012 at 1:31pm

      Interesting read....and agreed with. ( I am of the opinion that all the main players at Fox 'News' fall into the narcissistic/mental illness category).
      But one is also left wondering what brought on this article...? Did something hit close to home recently?...(a straight writer)...or are you discouraged by the overall state of media writers/talkers in general...
      Just curious.

      piqued

      Mar 1, 2012 at 1:35pm

      DavidH.....I have no problem with a columnist commenting on comments. I actually find them interesting...especially when said commenter has misread the column. Don't think it is extremely "bad form" at all.

      Charlie Smith

      Mar 1, 2012 at 1:37pm

      Dear piqued,

      I've had this rumbling around inside me for a long time. Sometimes people phone me to complain about something. I tend to be open to listening to what they have to say, though I'm not perfect. And when that happens, the people with complaints sometimes tell me that they're not used to this.

      I did a story a little while ago involving someone with narcissistic personality disorder, which caused me to give more thought to the topic. It dawned upon me that it's something that's quite common, but poorly understood.

      I suspect that at times, we all fall prey to our narcissistic tendencies, including me. The key to countering them is probably greater self-awareness.

      Charlie Smith

      Mark Fornataro

      Mar 1, 2012 at 2:13pm

      Well said Charlie; I'm afraid I'm guilty of it at times too and that's why I don't always take myself as seriously as I used to. I'm sure- especially around twenty five years ago- I could be quite a dogmatic pain in the ass at times. Yes, greater self-awareness is the key.

      Martin Dunphy

      Mar 1, 2012 at 2:16pm

      DavidH:

      .......Um, sorry, I got nuthin'.

      Just couldn't seem to restrain myself.

      Chiron

      Mar 1, 2012 at 5:48pm

      People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder are not able to have self-awareness in a way that leads to healing. They do it for behaviour modification which is usually manipulative.

      I would like to add that I think many people in the media (especially editors) have ADHD. Narcissism (as opposed to NPD) is only one element of this condition. Among others things, I think these people are drawn to the long endless hours of the profession, the adrenaline rush of the looming deadline, the attention from the public from their words and the constant conflict that they have to deal with.

      I believe that people with ADHD are very spiritual/gifted/wounded souls and their effort towards healing leads to wonderful rewards.

      Something to consider.

      Jamie1a

      Mar 1, 2012 at 8:03pm

      Charlie,

      I've made more than one critical comment on your posts over the last while...

      The most rewarding part of reading Christoper Hitchens (probably a narcissist himself) was observing how honesty prevailed over (blind) ideology. He was certainly ideological, but he always went with his gut and with what he felt represented truthfulness. Recall that this (overt dishonesty) was his primary criticism of Michael Moore, not any pro 2nd Amendment or "party line" argument.

      I found that university tends to radicalize people to a certain degree. Even before you've figured anything out in life, you are required to pick a side and defend it. You are either with "the Alarmists" or "the Deniers". There is little room for the middle ground. This is surely true in the subjects you most likely took at university. It was for me. I was lucky enough to spend my 4th year in a non-western country. I found the debate in their classes to be far more honest and no where near as ideological than those here. They simply hadn't been forced to pick a side and defend it. Nor was there a unified common viewpoint (generally anyway) promoted to the degree that it's practically the default. They were wrong in many ways (just like we are), but in their own way, they were kind of "little Hitchens".

      It took this experience for me to realize that defending something because it's on your "side", and not because you honestly feel that if things were reversed or otherwise different, you'd still make the same argument on principle and truthfulness, is the only productive way to go about things. I think it's made me far more open-minded and honest with myself. I don't like abortions, but I know that if the wrong girl got pregnant, there would be a good chance I'd be relieved if I discovered that she had an abortion. Even though I don't like abortions, it would be dishonest for me to oppose them.

      Anyways, this was the first thing I thought of when I read your article.

      shavluk

      Mar 1, 2012 at 9:45pm

      """Sometimes, the critics are right and we are wrong. And we are deserving of some sort of public correction by the media."""

      except with narcissism and the cannabis movement ?..hmm?

      all rules dont apply if enough $ was spent on adds at the Straight...eh?

      Hi Charlie

      Yep....thats right ...my 3 rd main stream national political party now who say they would yes re legalize cannabis (layton changing his mind cowardly is his problem not mine) is now complete

      See liberals Ottawa jan 15 2012

      But in fact there is to me only one common denominator to all 3 political party's and that issue ...only one person who was a member of all three who put forth the resolutions or worked with some others in those parties individually

      I hope that doesnt sound too narcissistic...LOL..?

      But it happens for many reasons as we can maybe now see
      It is because of enablers with ulterior motives obviously I think

      To sell newspapers too

      Maybe I just should have just sold seeds at the highest price others grew and then given some of the ill gotten loot away as crumbs in my quest to be famous while I lived the high life?

      Good post though Charlie
      I hope you can read between my lines and see I am in fact being nice so that I dont needlessly just get deleted again and no truth allowed out because of it

      Cheers

      HI HO HI HO....