From the ancient Greek myth to the technological sparks of the 21st century, the notion of narcissism is close to man. Along with the persistence of this human trait through the centuries and civilizational changes, the topicality of the topic of narcissistic persons and the nature of love that they feel (or that they are able to feel) survives.
Narcissus sin
According to the famous Ovid myth, Narcissus was a young man fascinated by himself. He wandered the world looking for love and someone to share it with, and despite that, he rejected the forest nymph Echo when, in love, she approached him.
Later, approaching the river to drink water from it, Narcissus saw his own reflection and immediately fell in love with him. He even tried to kiss him, but fearing that the reflection would be destroyed and disappear, he kept himself in a position just above him, neglecting his original search for water, until he fell into that river and drowned. It was a punishment sent to him by the gods.
Narcissus died of thirst and self-love, never reaching the love he sought, and never reaching enlightenment.
The prophecy that Tiresias, the blind prophet, gave him at birth was fulfilled: he lived and was happy until he saw, that is, realized his character.
This myth has its deep philosophical and psychological roots throughout history and has served as a basis for portraying a type of human personality. Narcissus has become any person who feels excessive love for himself.
Hence the question: was Narcissus' sin such a kind of love, or the inability to feel love of equal intensity towards another person?
Contemporary Daffodils
Psychologists who have studied this type of personality have defined a narcissistic person as one whose interests, love and priorities exist solely to meet their own needs, and one who considers other people's needs, feelings and attitudes less important or even less real.
Having built an imaginary wall around himself, the narcissistic person lives in a reality tailored to his own beliefs, starting with the fact that he is the center and core of the world inside and outside that wall.
This is where her basic paradox arises: a narcissistic person seeks respect, support, attention and love, believing in his importance, but is unable to provide the same and feel towards others.
Whether personality analysis is based on the conversation, behavior and actions of a narcissistic person, or the amount of selfies taken, modern psychology distinguishes between two types of narcissistic personality - "vulnerable" and "grandiose" daffodils.
Vulnerable and grandiose daffodils
Vulnerable daffodils develop and maintain their self-esteem in order to cover up their insecurities and compensate for the amount of love and attention that their parents denied them during growing up. Their needs are based on the desire to be accepted and appreciated, and the focus of their attention becomes the fear of rejection.
On the other hand, grandiose daffodils have a much higher opinion of themselves, because they firmly believe that they are truly superior, better and more important than everyone. Even with this type, psychologists take childhood and upbringing as a foundation, but of a different kind than with narcissistic people of the vulnerable type. Grandiose daffodils become those people that their parents put on a pedestal from an early age and imposed on them the idea that they are better than other children.
Both types have one thing in common - a lack of empathy. Like Narcissus, who thought he had found a soul mate, love and comfort because of the reflection in the water, who laughed, cried and suffered with him, the highest ideal for narcissistic personalities becomes their SELF.
The question remains, therefore: did Narcissus fall in love with his true reflection or the image of himself he wanted to see?
The nature of Narcissus' love
The definition according to which love is something subtle, free, uncorrupted and altruistic is generally accepted. Narcissus certainly felt a kind of love, only it was directed towards a single person - himself. In that, perhaps, that "freedom" is represented in the definition.
Like other human traits, empathy can be learned, and is attainable by a narcissistic person, just like any other.
Narcissus' sin was not self-love, but a lack of desire to see one's own narcissism and desire to change. Therefore, his punishment was his own paradox: to seek love and understanding, and never find them.
Neither the nymph Echo, nor any other man could give him the love he was looking for - at least not as much as his own reflection could.
If someone had told Narcissus that the world was much bigger than his beliefs, that there were better daffodils than him, or that the gods had felt empathy in choosing Narcissus' punishment, would anything have changed? Probably not. This suggests a description of the nature of the narcissistic personality.
Today, we are left to wonder whether Narcissus is really to blame for his own destiny, self-image and beliefs on which he built his world, or whether the world was built by Narcissus.
Otherwise, the symbolism and unnecessary cuteness hidden in the fact that Narcissus was named after a flower and words (Greek Nárkissos) meaning "one who alleviates pain and suffering" would not make sense.
People with narcissistic personality disorder are constantly looking for praise, admiration and attention. They are preoccupied with the impression they leave on the environment. They believe that they are unique and special and that their problems can only be understood by other special persons of "high status". They pay more attention to the form than to the essence. The inability to empathize is often present and they react to the criticism of others with coldness, indifference, but also anger.