Narcissistic Bubble
Many social critics wonder whether our society is becoming increasingly narcissistic, fostering counterproductive and exploitative behaviors. Whether true, there are people with tendencies to aggrandize themselves and their own importance which may have led them to implode on a huge public stage.
Public figures seem particularly vulnerable to developing a narcissistic mindset. As they do, they enter what some call the narcissistic bubble, meaning they lose their sense of accountability for their behavior.
First, to become a public figure means you are already seeking some type of attention, even if it is framed within the context of public service.
Ironically, once you become a public figure, you acquire an entourage that protects you from the public. This is the second reason that people enter the narcissistic bubble. They don't have to encounter the strains and struggles of everyday life. Someone else is always there to do it for them.
The third contributor to the narcissistic bubble is media attention. If your every move is being followed, no matter how insignificant, you can readily start to believe that everything you do is important and interesting.
Fourth, public figures are constantly fawned on by admirers and yes men. With the constant temptation that often goes with the adulation, public figures can be readily drawn into unfortunate sexual escapades.
Fifth, successful celebrities, athletes, and politicians stand to make a great deal of money. They can buy whatever they want, whenever they want it. This ability to indulge their slightest fantasies fosters impulsive and often reckless behavior which, in turn, can lead to fiscal ruin if it goes on unchecked.
One type of victim of the narcissistic bubble is the celebrity or politician on a meteoric rise to the top who doesn't have the time or perhaps the emotional maturity to integrate these heady new experiences into his or her sense of identity.
The second type of victim enters the narcissistic bubble more slowly. Over the years, this person's fame and reputation reinforce the feeling of invulnerability and importance. These individuals come to expect special treatment which they invariably command.
Shakespeare coined the phrase the bubble reputation. In a speech a character states,
"some are born great, some become great, and some have greatness thrust upon them."
If you seek the bubble reputation, you start to believe in your own greatness, and this becomes your ultimate undoing.
Grandiose narcissists have a truly inflated sense of self. Vulnerable narcissists are highly sensitive to rejection, more likely to feel a sense of shame, and don't engage in grandiose fantasizing.
The findings showed those high in grandiose narcissism were most vulnerable to threats to their achievement. Those high in vulnerable narcissism to threats involving interpersonal relations.
Making excuses for your own inexcusable behavior, failing to reciprocate to others who help you, and taking advantage of people who express admiration for you can be signs that you're on your way into danger.
Even run-of-the-mill narcissists come to think that the world revolves around them. Ask yourself, or have someone else ask you, whether you are really as exceptional as you believe you are.
Vulnerable narcissists react poorly when their personal relationships don't go well. By bolstering your inner self-confidence, you can buffer yourself against the harm such tainted relationships can cause. Boosting your self-esteem will also make you less likely to experience vulnerable narcissism.
There is no law against loving yourself, just be realistic.
Psychology Today
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