They are subtle, refined, socially-adept, manipulative, possessed of thespian skills, and convincing."
 
October 4, 2008    EL COMERCIO reported on 10-3-08: " La embajadora Hodges estuvo acompañada por Andrew Chritton, ministro consejero; Alexandria Panehal, directora de la Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (Usaid); Michael Greenwald, consejero de Prensa y Cultura, y Michael Schodowski, agregado de Defensa . La nueva Embajadora llegó al Ecuador el 8 de agosto. La demora en la entrega de cartas credenciales provocó varias especulaciones. Sin embargo, fuentes diplomáticas dijeron que esta se produjo por la intensa agenda electoral de Correa.

That is....under the pretext of claiming to be "too busy," we all know that Rafael Correa abused the waiting US dignitaries for a little fun and a lot of manipulative showmanship. We find these adolescent tactics, recently exhibited against the USA's Heather Hodges and her dog Rocky, kept cooling their heels for almost two months, not only pervasive but unacceptably dishonest. Ecuadoreans call this "clever." Psychiatrists call these behavior disorders "NARCISSISTIC" - that is when the psychological disorders of manipulations and selfishness are the primary relationship in that person's life.
 
Found at a web site we do not know, www.faithfreedom.org/obama.html, Dr. Sam Vaknin, the author of the Malignant Self Love,   is a world authority on narcissism. He understands narcissism and describes the inner mind of a narcissist like no other person. When he talks about narcissism everyone listens. Vaknin explains: “Narcissistic ...persons... are nefarious and their effects pernicious. They are subtle, refined, socially-adept, manipulative, possessed of thespian skills, and convincing.

What is Narcissism?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) describes narcissism as a personality disorder that “revolve around a pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and sense of entitlement. Often individuals feel overly important and will exaggerate achievements and will accept, and often demand, praise and admiration despite worthy achievements.” 

The third and fourth editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of 1980 and 1994 and the European ICD-10 describe NPD in similar language:
              
An all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts.  Five (or more) of the following criteria must be met:
• Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
• Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion
• Is firmly convinced that he/she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special,  unique, or high-status people (or institutions)
• Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation...
• Feels entitled.  Expects unreasonable or special and favorable priority treatment.  Demands automatic and full compliance with his expectations
• Is “interpersonally exploitative” i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends
• Is devoid of empathy.  Is unable or unwilling to identify with or acknowledge the feelings and needs of others
• Is constantly envious of others or believes that they feel the same about him or her
• Is arrogant, has haughty behaviors or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted
According to Vaknin, the hallmarks of pathological narcissism include... behaviors which:

- Subtly misrepresents facts and expediently and opportunistically shifts positions, views, opinions, and "ideals”. These flip-flops do not cause him [or her] overt distress and are ego-syntonic (he/she feels justified in acting this way). Alternatively, refuses to commit to a standpoint and, in the process, evidences a lack of empathy. Additionally, he or she denies the gap between his or her fantasies and his [her] modest or limited real-life achievements.
- Feels that he/she is above the law....
Displays false modesty and unctuous "folksiness" but is unable to sustain these behaviors (the persona, or mask) for long. It slips and the true person revealed: haughty, aloof, distant, and disdainful of simple folk and their lives.

- Sublimates aggression and holds grudges.

- Behaves as an eternal adolescent (e.g., his/her choice of language, youthful image he/she projects, demands indulgence and feels entitled to special treatment, even though his/her objective accomplishments do not justify it).
Narcissistic Psychosis
“..when the narcissist is criticized, his followers become offended. They take those criticisms personally and their instinct of self defense is triggered. They will become vigilantes and will silence their critics through intimidation, bullying, mocking, threats and violence Narcissists have only one issue. They want power and will do and say anything to get it. Their words mean nothing to them. They do not intend to keep them. They look into your eyes and swear on a stack of Bibles that they are not going to do something when that is exactly what they intend to do. They break their promises when it suits them and annul their treaties when they can get away with it. They lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie. (witness his unbelievable flip flops on the Iraq war, his numerous lies...)... [These persons] create a cult of personality...and... admirers become co-dependents. Anyone can be fooled by narcissists. They cannot tolerate any criticism... They get angry and, not only they want to end the conversation but threaten to end the friendship. They are even prone to insult you...Pathological narcissism, is not akin to typical narcissism—someone with a hedonistic or self-centered sense of self —but rather someone with a very weak sense of self.
 
How can smart people let themselves be manipulated by a psychopath to such an extent that they become quasi zombies? Recall what the smart Germans did under the spell of Hitler. Bear in mind what the Soviets did under the influence of Stalin. Consider what the Japanese did during WWII when they believed in the divinity of their emperor. Evoke how the Chinese Red Guard massacred millions of their own countrymen when they were blinded by their love for Mao and his faux notion of equality. Look at the Islamic terrorists. Can’t we say the same about them? Isn’t Islamic savagery the result of Muslims’ uncritical devotion to a long deceased narcissist?  When sane people fall for the lies of an insane man, they act insanely. (This explains a lot-how [enablers]... can ignore the lies, flip flops... and insult and attack anyone who would speak up against him /her).

The Sick Symbiosis
Narcissists need their narcissistic supply to fuel their narcissism. They get it through adulation from people around them. These people are often also needy people. They are known as co-dependants. The narcissist and his co-dependent therefore, form a sick symbiosis in which both benefit. The masses of people have no first hand knowledge of the narcissist, but they jump on the bandwagon thanks to a very human trait, misnomered as “herd mentality.” They reason, how can so many people can be wrong and satisfied by this fallacy blindly join the cult of personality worship. (now, I know)...They take those criticisms personally and their instinct of self defense is triggered. They will become vigilantes and will silence their critics through intimidation, bullying, mocking, threats and violence...

Narcissists are amoral. They consider themselves to be above the law. Once with any power, they will try to strengthen their hold by surrounding themselves with equally amoral people....What can be more dangerous than having a person bereft of conscience, a serial liar, and one who cannot distinguish his fantasies from reality as the leader of [anything]?
 
Narcissists are manipulative and extremely resourceful. They know how to the play their game, and how to get what they want, by using others. One must never underestimate the manipulative genius of pathological narcissists. The narcissist shapes the world around himself and reduces others in his own inverted image. He creates a cult of personality. His admirers become his co-dependents. Anyone can be fooled by narcissists. To nurture his narcissism, the narcissist needs narcissistic supply. It is always people around the narcissist who provide that supply and encourage him in his psychosis.

According to Wikipedia, “a ‘codependent’ is loosely defined as someone who exhibits too much, and often inappropriate, caring for persons who depend on him or her. A ‘codependent’ is one side of a relationship between mutually needy people. The dependent, or obviously needy party(s) may have al, physical, financial difficulties, or addictions they seemingly are unable to surmount. The "codependent" party exhibits behavior which controls, makes excuses for, pities, and takes other actions to perpetuate the obviously needy party's condition, because of their desire to be needed and fear of doing anything that would change the relationship.”
Behind every successful narcissist, there is always a co-dependent. 

When the co-dependent and the narcissist team-up the result can be catastrophic. Now we have folie à deux. The delusional belief of the narcissist about himself is transmitted and shared by another needy, but ostensibly smart person.  The codependent validates and encourages the narcissist's delusion. As the result, the narcissist becomes bolder, more assertive, more authoritative and more confident. The partnership of the narcissist and the codependent dons their delusion with the mantle of credibility. The codependent will then do everything to persuade others as well. The narcissist's cause is himself. The codependent will champion that cause. By recruiting others, they find validation for their own belief about the narcissist. Soon the folie à deux becomes folie à trois, then folie à quatre, and when you are a presidential candidate and are followed by a hoard of journalists and cameramen, before you blink there will be folie à plusieurs (madness of many). Recent psychiatric classifications refer to the syndrome as shared psychotic disorder.   Like gasoline being poured on a fire, the sycophants around the narcissist provide him with an abundance of narcissistic fuel to feed upon. Narcissists do not understand the concept of the Golden Rule. Right is what benefits them and wrong is what harms them. So they fight for their own interest and are convinced that this is justice. Human rights and human lives are important only to the extent that they meet their narcissistic needs.  They are worthless, and can be disposed of, if they don’t.  There is no cure for narcissism. However, deprived of adulation, the disorder will remain dormant. The narcissist, without the narcissistic supply, may become grumpy and complain that the world does not understand them or appreciate their importance. They will continue to cheat and lie when they can get away with it, but the damage that they can cause is not earth shattering.

As narcissism maturates, the narcissist becomes more demanding for respect and compliance and more intolerant of criticism. He becomes paranoid, and divides the world into “us” vs. “them”. He casts himself and his minions as victims and instils in them the distrust of the “others”. Narcissists are relentless and very convincing. They tell you exactly what you want to hear. They are full of promises. Their talent to manipulate is phenomenal.

The cause of the narcissist is himself. Everything else is a tool, a stepping stone for the narcissist to ascend to power.  Narcissists don’t have any ideology. They champion the cause that has a better chance of making their ascent to power easier. Narcissists are empty in substance but full on promises. Many politicians are narcissists. They pose no threat to others. They are simply self serving and selfish.

Vaknin writes: “Narcissists use anything they can lay their hands on in the pursuit of narcissistic supply.  If God, creed, church, faith, and institutionalized religion can provide them with narcissistic supply, they will become devout.  They will abandon religion if it can't.” The narcissist’s creed is himself. Everything else is negotiable...and will shift his position wherever the wind blows.  Narcissists are chameleons. Narcissists have no interest in things that do not help them to reach their personal objective. Narcissists can be very generous, but never without an ulterior motive. They are generous when their display of generosity is noticed and elevates them in the eyes of others. The narcissist never admits to ignorance in any field – yet, typically, he is ignorant of them all. At least one mental health professional believes that about 6% of Americans are pathological narcissists.  The percentage in countries where child abuse is more prevalent is a lot higher.  Although all narcissists are cunning, and bereft of conscience, not all of them have the wits to rise to power. A narcissist with smarts can be dangerous. 
 
Last week, Fox News reported, "The fragile state of North Korea and the booming, oil-rich trio of Iran, Venezuela and Russia have grown increasingly aggressive and pose some of the greatest security challenges for the next president, US CIA Director Michael Hayden says." Each of these nations is commandeered by narcissists in the axis of oil petrotyranny.

We all know narcissists and their enablers. That does not make these persons any less acceptable. What are you doing about this?

Our advice: grow up: show a little self esteem and dance with someone who is honest.

-Pedro Camargo for ECrisis