when we talk about the overweening narcissism of Leftists, we may be missing something. Because we are actually often talking about the extreme sense of “emptiness” that narcissists frantically try to fill with “I’m so awesome” attitudes and exerting control and dominion over others.
There is a very good reason why Narcissistic Personality Disorder is in the same diagnostic “cluster” as Borderline Personality Disorder (whose defining characteristic is this feeling of emptiness). They are actually very similar to each other and we almost always (clinically) see people with traits of both–though males tend toward Narcissistic PD while females tend toward Borderline PD.
Indeed, ALL the “Cluster B” Personality Disorders feature this same unstable and “hollow” sense of self, though the strategies for self-soothing may be different for each one (and the “depth” of the void–and therefore the severity of the PD–is on a continuum). And this article is one of the best I’ve ever seen on the subject. And this guy isn’t even a Psychologist!
In its clinical definition, narcissism is not self-love — it’s the opposite. The narcissist isn’t full of ego. Rather, he has no real sense of self. Where the self would be is emptiness, which results in a mad effort to fill the psyche with meaning. Lacking a stable and confident sense of identity, the narcissist hunts for meaning in therapy, self-help, sex, or radical politics. None of these can give meaning to empty lives.
Leftism is very often what gives life meaning for these folks. It is a way to somehow fill the void that is within them. Moral agency and allowing people to actually have freedom just won’t do that!