So, what are Self-Esteem and Narcissus? These are questions I get asked a lot by friends, relatives, acquaintances, and co-workers of those who are truly sincere when they ask these questions. Those who do not sincerely believe in the concept of right-wing authoritarianism, however, are quick to state that such individuals are lacking in self-esteem, whereas those who do suffer from such lack of self-esteem are narcissistic. The simple truth, however, is that self-esteem is neither narcissism nor the absence of narcissism; rather, it is a concept that pertains to the process of assessing one’s own self worth. It therefore stands to reason that there is a psychological relationship between self-esteem and narcissism.
One of the biggest causes of low self-esteem or negative self-image is a person’s relationship with social dominance. In a nutshell, social dominance relates to a person’s ability to control others in social situations. In essence, this means that a person with higher social dominance is more likely to display traits associated with narcissism, including being egotistical, lacking in empathy, lying, and pretending to be something they are not. Narcissistic personality disorders are also commonly exhibited by individuals who exhibit social dominance. In short, the individual who displays social dominance is more likely to exhibit narcissism traits, which includes the traits previously mentioned in this article.
In light of this, it becomes clear that self-esteem must stand to oppose the concept of narcissism, which is otherwise likely to gain a foothold in the human mind. After all, if self-esteem did not exist, then those who do suffer from these particular psychological disorders would have no choice but to develop them. Interestingly, research has shown that those who suffer from high levels of social dominance exhibit highly left-wing authoritarianism and significantly lower self-esteem. Therefore, those who have lower self-esteem would also tend to be left-wing authoritarianism and display a higher level of social dominance.
In light of this, it is important to note that narcissism and social dominance do not appear to be related. This suggests that those who exhibit both traits do not necessarily have the same psychological causes. Instead, it appears that those who exhibit high levels of narcissism tend to be left-wing authoritarianism and those with low levels of social dominance tend to be right-wing authoritarianism.
Self-esteem or self-confidence likely does not exist in a vacuum without the interaction and impact of other people. Thus, those who are perceived as being above others in authority tend to have high self-esteem and confidence levels. Conversely, those who are constantly been criticized and doubted can develop low self-esteem and confidence levels.
A healthy self-image requires self-esteem and, conversely, a low self-image requires low self-esteem and insecurity. In essence, the more insecure a person feels about himself, the less he believes he is capable of doing. Conversely, a person with high self-esteem is capable of doing just about anything, including loving and sharing love. He is also secure in himself and thus does not need the approval of others. This type of personality has little need for admiration and adoration, and therefore has little to no need for social approval or high social status.
Narcissistic personality disorder is defined as a mental state in which a person has unrealistic and inflated expectations of himself and a low tolerance for uncertainty and fear. A person with narcissism also has an unusual amount of confidence. These two behaviors often appear together, especially in the case of left-wing authoritarianism. A person with high self-esteem is likely to reject criticism, while a person with high confidence is likely to view everything through a rose-colored glasses perspective. Left-wing authoritarianism and narcissism are both related to an overly high sense of self-worth and insecurity.
Self-esteem can be extremely important, and it can be very normal to have little self-esteem. Unfortunately, many people have difficulties maintaining healthy self-esteem and are therefore susceptible to the characteristics of narcissism and its like. It is unfortunate that people who should want to build up their self-esteem end up with such dysfunctional behavior patterns. While some people are born with personality disorders like narcissism and self-esteem, most people develop these behaviors as a result of unhelpful early socialization and/or family dysfunction.