The Culture of Narcissism

Powerful victims and twisting knifes

If I could rewind the clock back and sit down across my chubby face seventeen-year-old self, I would give him only one piece of advice.

Avoid covert narcissists.

Younger me — stubborn and naive — would brush it off.

And eventually, he’d pay for it.

He would believe that chaos is something that blows our house down in our sleep. Woken up with the red lights flashing. Units on the scene. Panic to action, action to resolution. The mind becomes clear and it’s gone for a while.

He would not be willing to accept that one individual would be capable of twisting the knife without him noticing.

This isn’t a sob story (that’s not in me) it’s an invitation to awareness. One that I needed to hear as a younger man. One that anyone regardless of age, might find a solution or understanding in.

I overlooked patterns, experiences, and statements that I shouldn’t have. I saw good friends use the language of justice, fairness, and empathy to mask their desire for retribution and power.

And through it, I learned a hell of a lot about people.