Narcissists are Evil

According to M. Scott Peck, M.D, psychiatrist and author of the best selling book on evil, The People of the Lie, most of us view a situation first in light of how we are affected by it and only as an afterthought do we stop to consider how it might affect others involved. But we do, eventually, usually, consider the viewpoint of the other.

Not so those who are evil. Theirs is a brand of narcissism so total that they seem to lack this capacity for empathy.... We can see then, that their narcissism makes the evil dangerous not only because it motivates them to scapegoat others, but also because it deprives them of the restraint that results from empathy and respect for others....The evil need victims to sacrifice to their narcissism, their narcissism permits them to ignore the humanity of their victims as well. ..The blindness of the narcissist to others can extend beyond a lack of empathy; narcissists may not "see" others at all.

If you have ever lived in quiet desperation fearing the release of rage from the Pandora's Box of the narcissist, then decided to stop the abuse, you have been the victim of a campaign designed to destroy you. It is as systematic, calculated and well thought out as that of any battle plan in any war.

Scott Peck describes for us the characteristics of the personality disorder that encompasses evil:

* consistent destructive scapegoating, often subtle

* excessive, usually covert intolerance to criticism

* pronounced concern with public image, denial of vengeful motives

* intellectual deviousness with likelihood of mild schizoid disturbance
of thing at times of stress

Evil then must be named. Doing so can be enormously frightening. It means that some of us must do battle with a force that wants to destroy us.

Evil leaves its mark on us at the cellular level. There is a physiology to evil. Cells are imprinted at the moment terror engulfs us. Brain cells are destroyed by stress and facing evil is neverending stress. The body never leaves flight or fight mode. Children silently suffer the slings and arrows of the narcissistic parent who is unable to care. What happens to the child is of no concern to the narcissist. For he must prevail no matter the cost. The child as collateral damage is unimportant. Winning is everything.


Ann Bradley