Judyji - I'm sorry I don't agree with you. Please don't focus on his words but consider this as a part of a process. Please don't focus on his words too much, rather on his intentions. Barry clearly suffers from PTMSD ( Post transcendental meditation disorder) and SPC ( Small Penis Complex) - please search on archives for my analysis. Let's all show our love and appreciation while he recovers from attachment to dead Gurus and scriptures with the Original Goon Mantra.
Love - Dr. Ravi Yogi. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@...> wrote: > > Does anybody here think this all is not the *perfect* > description of Barry? > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > In the light of many discussions here of Narcissistic Personality > > Disorder, and how it relates to claims of enlightenment, "higher" states > > of consciousness, and just the everyday "I'm more evolved/intelligent > > than all those REEEALLY REEEALLY STOOPID people around me," here's an > > intelligent article that explores some of the same territory I have been > > exploring lately. Are the narcissists aware of their narcissistic > > behavior? Well, it turns out that they probably are. So what does that > > say about the values of someone who is addicted to "sucking attention," > > who *knows* that they are addicted to sucking attention, but who does it > > anyway? The "disconnect" seems to be not in how they see themselves or > > in how others see them, but in how they *perceive* themselves as being > > seen by others and what they feel the value of that is; sucking > > attention is more important to them than sucking favorable attention. > > I've highlighted some passages I found interesting below. > > Do Narcissists Know They Are Narcissists?by Scott Barry Kaufmann, Ph.D. > > > > Think of your friendly neighborhood narcissist: status-seeking, > > grandiose, loud-mouthed, brash and flamboyant. Have you ever noticed how > > he brags all the time, not only about his astronomical I.Q. and bulging > > pectoral muscles, but also about the fact that he is narcissistic? It's > > as if he is proud of it. > > > > Lots of psychologists have theorized that a lack of self-awareness is a > > hallmark trait of narcissists. My personal experience with narcissists > > does not seem to support this. It seems to me as though they are not > > only aware of who they are, but also embrace it. > > > > Luckily, I don't have to rely on personal anecdotes. To get to the > > bottom of this age-old mystery, Erika Carlson > > <http://www.self-other.com/ErikaCarlson.html> and her colleagues at > > Washington University in St. Louis conducted three very well-done > > studies to see whether narcissists have insight into their personality > > and their reputation. The results will soon be published in the > > prestigious Journal of Personality and Social Psychology > > <http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/> . > > > > The researchers administered a number of different measures of > > narcissism to college students and looked at how high-scorers are seen > > by others, how they see themselves *and how they believe they are seen > > by others*. They looked across social contexts and interviewed new > > acquaintances as well as friends and family. There results across the > > three studies are strikingly consistent. > > > > Unsurprisingly, they found that narcissists think they are hot stuff. > > Those scoring high in narcissism tended to rate themselves as more > > intelligent, physically attractive, likeable and funny than others. > > Interestingly, they also rated themselves as having higher levels of > > negative aspects of narcissism, such as being power-oriented, impulsive, > > arrogant and prone to exaggerate their abilities! Therefore, > > *narcissists are aware they are narcissists*. > > > > There was also a strong positive correlation between narcissism and > > having a reputation for narcissism: narcissists were definitely > > perceived as narcissists. While other people didn't think the > > narcissists were nearly as hot as the narcissists thought they were, the > > narcissists were well aware of their reputation. When asked how others > > perceive them on the positive traits, their results were closer to how > > they were actually perceived than their own self-perceptions of the very > > same traits. > > > > These results suggest that narcissists do indeed have self-awareness of > > themselves and know their reputation. *This begs the question: how can > > narcissists maintain their inflated self-image even though they know > > full well how they are perceived by others?* The researchers suggest a > > few intriguing possibilities. > > > > *Perhaps narcissists assume that others are just failing to realize how > > bitchin' they really are*. They may think that people are just too dim > > to recognize their brilliance. Another possibility is that narcissists > > may think critics are just envious of them. Narcissists may take > > negative feedback and think to themselves, "Those haters are just > > jealous!" > > > > This may explain why narcissists behave in arrogant ways. *Instead of > > compensating for some deep-seated insecurity > > <http://pss.sagepub.com/content/18/3/227.extract> , bragging may be > > their way of demanding the recognition they truly believe they deserve. > > Narcissists score up the wazoo in entitlement*. As the researchers > > note, this idea is consistent with self-verification theory > > <http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/HomePage/Faculty/Swann/docu/north%20and%\ > > 20swann%202009.pdf> : "Narcissists believe that they are exceptional > > people and may behave in arrogant ways because they are attempting to > > bridge the gap between their self perceptions and their > > meta-perceptions." > > > > The researchers also suggest it's possible that narcissists maintain > > their self-image by misconstruing the meaning of narcissism. When told > > they are arrogant, instead of thinking they are "someone who is > > confident without merit," they may take it as a compliment, thinking to > > themselves, "Well, duh I'm arrogant, if by that you mean 'deservedly > > confident!'" As the researchers note, "Narcissists seem to choose honest > > arrogance when describing themselves and their reputation." > > > > The results of this study as well as prior studies > > <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9F-45RDM71-\ > > 8D&_user=10&_coverDate=07%2F31%2F1992&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=gateway&_o\ > > rigin=gateway&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1693740600&_rerunO\ > > rigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1\ > > 0&md5=1ef77a2aaa0409bfdb40f463e31a4c9a&searchtype=a> suggest that > > narcissists do care more about being perceived as superior on agentic > > traits (e.g., industriousness, assertiveness, dominance) compared to > > communal traits (e.g., agreeableness and honesty). *Narcissists don't > > seem to care whether they are perceived as good people; they'd rather be > > admired than liked <http://www.columbia.edu/%7Eda358/npi16/raskin.pdf> . > > So perhaps the narcissists in their study construed supposedly negative > > aspects of narcissism (e.g., arrogance) as desirable*. > > > > *Of course, it's also possible that narcissists are fully aware of the > > meaning of narcissism and the negative impact they have on others, but > > just don't care as long as it doesn't get in the way of their goals*. > > > > The researchers also found that new acquaintances viewed narcissists > > more positively than well acquainted others. Those who just met the > > narcissists did tend to have a favorable impression of the narcissists, > > whereas those who knew the narcissists much longer tended to have a much > > more negative impression of the narcissists. > > > > Again, the narcissists in their sample were fully aware of this! *The > > results suggest that narcissists understand that they make positive > > first impressions that deteriorate over time*. [Think of this in terms > > of narcissistic spiritual teachers such as MMY. -Turq] These results are > > consistent with prior research that has shown that narcissists have > > trouble forming long-term relationships > > <http://www.psych.northwestern.edu/%7Efinkel/documents/Campbelletal_2002\ > > _001.pdf> . Narcissists tend to think they are "too good" for most > > people and are always seeking "better" relationship alternatives. > > > > The results are also consistent with research showing that narcissists > > are masters at first impressions > > <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beautiful-minds/201001/why-are-narc\ > > issists-initially-so-popular> . As researchers have suggested, the > > narcissist's success at creating initial attraction may make short-term > > contexts more rewarding for them than longer-term contexts: "It is > > possible that narcissists discontinue relationships early on because > > they cannot bridge the gap between their positive self-perceptions and > > relatively negative meta-perceptions. > > <http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/chatman/papers/13_KnowingYourPlace.pdf\ > > > " > > > > Practical Implications > > > > *It's well known that narcissists rarely change, mostly because they > > don't want to change. They love their lifestyle. Researchers trying to > > reform narcissists have noted that a major impediment is their lack of > > self-awareness*. They have speculated that if narcissists received true > > feedback, they would change. The study by Carlson and colleagues > > suggests that this is not the case. Narcissists are fully aware that > > they are narcissistic and have a narcissistic reputation. > > > > Instead, the researchers suggest that a better intervention would be to > > "emphasize the interpersonal and intrapsychic costs of being seen as > > narcissistic by others." *Narcissists are unlikely to change unless they > > think changing will benefit the things they desire, such as status and > > power*. > > > > Are You a Narcissist? > > > > Many of you are probably reading this and wondering whether you are a > > narcissist. An implication of the results I just reviewed is that if > > you are a narcissist, you probably already know it! > > > > In reality, all of us are at least a little bit narcissistic. In the > > studies just reviewed, the researchers administered a narcissistic > > questionnaire to college students. Even though they found that the > > students scored all across the spectrum, it's not as if there was anyone > > who was completely non-narcissistic. All of us, throughout our day, ebb > > and flow in and out of the narcissistic mindset. > > >
