Narcissism Is Mutating

During the 21st Century, we are discovering as a collective the depth and breadth of narcissism in our world. We now find traces of it in our relationships, our friendships, our workplaces, even our families.

The ‘superficial, self-absorbed’ definition of the disorder has proven to be only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface, an entire microcosm of dysfunctional behaviour has been revealed. Borderline, histrionic, psychopathy, codependency, paranoia and more have proven to be intrinsically linked to narcissism.

From Epidemic And Beyond

Narcissism is not a new phenomenon. It is a design feature of humanity, not an aberration. What is new is our understanding of its deeper dynamics. Another 21st-century aspect of narcissism is that it is mutating, having been given immense space to spread in a modern, globalised social environment.

Earlier, narcissism was endemic to the tribe or family, where a particular patriarch or matriarch held the dominant position in the hierarchy. When tragedy struck in the form of invasion, conflict, natural disaster or famine, the tribe became traumatised. To compensate for a collapse of the True Self, members of the tribe developed personality disorders such as borderline, psychopathy and narcissism. Authenticity and empathy were lost, while ego and manipulation reigned.

Meanwhile, the tribe leaders maintained their positions. Yet they found relief by projecting their illness onto lower-ranking members, abusing them emotionally, physically or even sexually in the process. You see this today in narcissistic families, many of whom carry intergenerational trauma and continue to exhibit symptoms of mental illness.

Over the centuries, tribes merged into civilisations, and positions of dominance grew more powerful and consequential. The Roman Empire is a classic example of psychopathy, narcissism and corruption, where megalomaniacal emperors such as Caligula and Nero carried out heinous acts on their people with no accountability.

Nonetheless, the ruling class was historically always a minority, and empires had a lifespan. It was not until recently that the quality of life of the majority surpassed even the emperors of old, and opportunities for power and independence spread like wildfire.

The Modern-Day Hero’s Journey

Fuelled by the Renaissance, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, western society has declared the individual to be king or queen. Carl Jung went further by popularising the process of actualisation, where a person separates from their tribe in the hope of exploring their authentic Self. By stepping out of the shadow of a family or community which they felt held them back, the modern person hopes to flower unobstructed into who they were born to be.

This process has been documented throughout history in the form of the mythological hero’s journey, where the protagonist leaves their home, descends into the underworld, faces countless challenges and demons, and then returns having been enlightened and transformed.

However, the modern heroic journey does not include sword fights and life-threatening situations. Rather it might entail travelling the world, psychedelics, meditation, therapy, entrepreneurship, healing modalities and other methods of inner freedom and discovery.

With unprecedented levels of wealth, technology and security, humans no longer rely on a small tribe for their survival and connection needs. A person can spend months or even years away from their family or community, meeting people from all walks of life. To top it all off, social media allows a person to develop an entire virtual life by building an influencer brand and connecting with people everywhere at any time. Meanwhile, they bring the narcissism virus with them, ready to spread it out into the world.

A Pandemic Of Narcissism

A person who grows up in a narcissistic family suffers greatly under the pressure of their dysfunctional tribal structure. When a family is codependent and mentally ill, nobody is immune to traumatisation. Narcissism and toxic shame can spread rapidly throughout every social group — just like any virus.