Upper West Side Resident Shares Article About Narcissism, Sees No Irony
A groundbreaking study from NYU’s Department of Psychology has confirmed what everyone already suspected: narcissists absolutely love reading satirical articles about narcissism, sharing them enthusiastically on social media while remaining completely oblivious to the fact that they are, in fact, the subject. The research, published in the Journal of Irony Studies, found that 94% of people who share articles mocking narcissistic behavior exhibit at least seven of the nine clinical markers for narcissistic personality disorder.
“It’s fascinating,” explained lead researcher Dr. Monica Stevens from her office at NYU’s campus in Manhattan. “We showed participants satirical articles about self-absorbed people who lack self-awareness, and the most narcissistic subjects were the most enthusiastic sharers. One participant literally said, ‘This is so true, everyone I know is like this,’ while talking about himself for forty-five uninterrupted minutes. He didn’t see the connection.”
The phenomenon, which researchers are calling “meta-narcissistic projection,” appears to be especially prevalent on the Upper West Side and in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods where residents regularly share think pieces about “toxic personality types” while simultaneously monopolizing every conversation at dinner parties with stories about their artisanal pickle business or their child’s achievement of sleeping through the night.
Manhattan resident Brad Whitmore, 38, perfectly exemplified the study’s findings when he shared an article titled “10 Signs You’re Dealing With a Narcissist” on his Facebook page along with the caption “EVERYONE needs to read this!!!” The article described someone who constantly talks about themselves, requires constant validation, and believes their experiences are universally relevantwhich are also the defining characteristics of Whitmore’s social media presence, blog, podcast, and personality.
“I just think it’s important to raise awareness about these toxic people,” Whitmore explained during an interview that he somehow turned into a forty-minute TED talk about his personal journey of “identifying narcissists in my life.” When asked if he’d ever considered that he might also exhibit some of these traits, he laughed and said, “Oh no, I’m extremely self-aware. That’s actually one of my best qualities. I’ve been told I’m probably the most self-aware person most people have ever met.”
The study found that narcissists particularly enjoy satire about other people’s flaws because it provides them with a sense of superiority while simultaneously offering validation that their own behavior is normal because “everyone else is doing it too.” Dr. Stevens noted that “the irony is completely lost on them, which is itself ironic, which is also lost on them. It’s irony all the way down.”
Social media platforms have reported that articles about narcissism generate significantly more engagement than articles about any other topic, with the highest share rates coming from users whose entire digital presence consists of selfies, humble-brags, and unsolicited advice. Instagram influencers, life coaches, and people who describe themselves as “thought leaders” are the most likely to share content warning others about narcissistic behavior.
When confronted with the study’s findings, several participants insisted that the research didn’t apply to them because they’re “different” and “actually have legitimate reasons to talk about themselves constantly.” One subject spent twenty minutes explaining why his narcissism was justified before asking if the interview could be featured on his LinkedIn profile.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/narcissists-favorite-kind-of-satire/
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/narcissists-favorite-kind-of-satire/.
By: Annika Steinmann.
