I thought this topic might be apropos given all the attention Donald Trump has been getting lately. I don’t know if he really fits the definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, but he still seems to have a large dose of this personality trait.

So, what does a narcissist look like? DSM-5 lists the following (see Wikipedia):  Impairment is self-functioning and impairment in interpersonal functioning). This definition is for the personality disorder. Narcissists are very taken up with how great they are and seek out confirmation of this opinion in the views of others. In my experience, narcissists very often have what’s been called “I love me” walls: Prominent displays of anything that might show the world how wonderful the person is. Included would be degrees, photos with prominent people, news clipping that mention the individual. They show little empathy for others and rarely, if ever, apologize for errors (’cause of course there’s no way I could make a mistake). Relationships are superficial and often status-based. The narcissist is often grandiose and self-important. Towards others, he or she is likely to be condescending. Narcissists are often attention-seeking and love to be in the limelight.

Does kinda sound like Mr Trump, doesn’t it? He might be a good image to hold in mind as you develop your own narcissistic character. Of course, a female character could also be a narcissist. Off-hand, I’m having trouble thinking of a good example, so feel free to leave a comment and note female narcissists. I’d love to hear your ideas.

Narcissism isn’t always a disorder. Sometimes it appears as part of other disorders, particularly anti-social personality disorder and/or psychopaths. It is also part of a healthy personality! Yes, you heard me right…a healthy person needs to have a dose of narcissism in terms of a sense of worth. Just be careful it doesn’t go too far!

Let’s talk about narcissism. I’d love to get your impressions and thoughts. These sorts of characters can be fun to develop and can make great antagonists. They can also be used in other ways in stories. What about a friend of the protagonist? or a love interest of the protagonist? Oooh, the complications!  Or…what about an alien species that is generally narcissistic? What sort of society might they develop? I’ll guarantee that it won’t look like ours!