The White House Reflecting Pool

According to the legend of Narcissus, a Greek boy fell in love with his own reflection in a pond. He rejected the advances of the nymph Echo and was punished by Nemesis. Narcissus was doomed to pine away as he fell in love with his own reflection - exactly as Echo had pined away for him. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a pathological condition in which an all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and lack of empathy is exhibited. The American Psychiatric Association says five or more of the following symptoms need to be present for one to be diagnosed a Narcissist. 1. Feels grandiose and self-important, exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements. 2. Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequaled brilliance, bodily beauty or sexual performance. 3. Firmly convinced that he or she is unique, that he or she can only be understood by, treated by, or should only associate with other special, unique, or high-status people. 4. Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious. 5. Feels entitled, expects unreasonable or special and favorable priority treatment, demands automatic and full compliance with his or her expectations. 6. Uses others to achieve his or her own ends. 7. Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with or acknowledge the feelings and needs of others. 8. Constantly envious of others or believes that they feel the same about him or her. 9. Arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted. However, the Narcissist is not in love with himself, he is in love with his reflection. A Narcissist’s image is the important thing. The image of himself that is reflected back to him is the only “self” that matters. There is no real self other than the reflection. Narcissists rarely seek psychiatric treatment. The Narcissist will never and can never admit he is wrong.