Laurie Endicott Thomas's Blog, page 2

Can You Sway Donald Trump with Flattery?

Narcissists worship themselves, and they want you to worship them, too. But that does not mean that you can sway them with flattery. Narcissists want to be the person in charge. They want to be the person who does the manipulating. They do not want to let you manipulate them. Many people, including the leaders … Continue reading "Can You Sway Donald Trump with Flattery?"

Is Jordan Peterson Angry at Me?

Jordan Peterson seems to be an angry man. I think he might be angry at me, but I can’t tell for sure. His rants are so imprecise that I am not sure who the targets of his wrath really are. I cannot tell what, precisely, he thinks that these people have done wrong, why he … Continue reading "Is Jordan Peterson Angry at Me?"

Games Narcissists Play

Narcissists are people who want to be socially dominant. They want the power, property, and prestige that go along with having a high social rank. However, they don’t know good ways to get those things. So instead, they try to bamboozle or bully other people. For this reason, narcissists often play “mind games.” Narcissists play … Continue reading "Games Narcissists Play"

Does Anger Management Training Work?

By learning how to manage your anger, you can learn how to make better choices in life. Unfortunately, sending domestic abusers to anger management classes will not get them to stop beating their romantic partners and other family members. Domestic abusers can usually manage their anger well enough. That’s why they are domestic abusers, as … Continue reading "Does Anger Management Training Work?"

Why Narcissists Love to “Debunk” the Argument From Authority

Narcissists are people who worship themselves and want you to worship them, too. However, they do not know how to earn your respect honestly. So instead, they may try to bamboozle you. If that fails, they may try to bully you into submission. For this reason, narcissists love to debate. Their goal is to convince … Continue reading "Why Narcissists Love to “Debunk” the Argument From Authority"

Are Narcissists Delusional?

A delusion is an irrational false belief that someone holds so firmly that nobody can talk him or her out of it. Delusions are a feature of some major mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia. Narcissists also often try to make you believe things that are clearly false. This tactic is called gaslighting. Sometimes, narcissists even … Continue reading "Are Narcissists Delusional?"

Why Parents and Teachers Should Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a story that provides hope for children who are being bullied and otherwise rejected by their society. Rudolph is clearly the hero of the story. The villains are most of the rest of the people in Rudolph’s society, including Santa Claus himself. Some critics have complained that the Rudolph story … Continue reading "Why Parents and Teachers Should Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Weinstein, Hubris, and Narcissism

Like the protagonist of an ancient Greek tragedy, Harvey Weinstein has fallen from a position of wealth, power, and prestige. Like other tragic figures, Weinstein has only himself to blame. He has been accused of acts of hubris. The Greek word hubris is often translated as foolish pride, but it referred to offenses of a … Continue reading "Weinstein, Hubris, and Narcissism"

Was the Shooter a Terrorist or a Narcissist?

There has been yet another mass shooting in the United States. This one is the deadliest in living memory. In the wake of this horror, people are having the usual arguments about whether the shooting was an act of terrorism and whether the shooter was mentally ill. The first is a legal question, and the … Continue reading "Was the Shooter a Terrorist or a Narcissist?"

Narcissists Hate You Because You Are a Threat to Their Social Rank, Not to Their Self-Esteem

Narcissists tend to be thin-skinned people who throw tantrums over minor or even imaginary slights. Some psychologists make the absurd argument that the narcissist’s childish behavior is the result of low self-esteem. Yet the word narcissism means that the person’s self-esteem is ridiculously high. You cannot be narcissistic and have low self-esteem at the same … Continue reading "Narcissists Hate You Because You Are a Threat to Their Social Rank, Not to Their Self-Esteem"