Think You Know Narcissists, Borderlines? Think Again! (With Ruan de Witt)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the distinction between narcissistic traits and narcissistic personality disorder, emphasizing that narcissism is a coping strategy that has become more common in today’s society. He explains that narcissism can manifest differently in men and women and delves into the warning signs of narcissistic behavior in relationships. Vaknin also explores the concept of shared fantasy and trauma bonding in relationships with narcissists, and the impact of narcissistic abuse on individuals. He also touches on the different subtypes of narcissism and the potential for individuals to undergo a process of self-discovery and authenticity. Ultimately, he suggests that narcissism has no cure and that individuals may need to accept or leave the situation.
Serial idealizers, Anxious People-pleasers, Addicts: NOT Narcissists
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses four groups of people who exhibit behaviors similar to pathological narcissism but are not narcissists: serial idealizers, anxious people pleasers, addicts, and those with borderline personality disorder. Serial idealizers create fantasies to legitimize their actions and feel loved, while anxious people pleasers seek acceptance and belonging to alleviate their anxiety. Addicts share traits with narcissists and psychopaths, such as grandiosity and defiance, but use addiction to maintain an illusion of control. Lastly, those with borderline personality disorder fear both abandonment and engulfment, leading to compulsive cheating and dysregulated behavior.
Right to Suicide: Teen, Adult, State, Prevention (2nd Webinar on Mental Health and Suicidal Risk)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the link between social media and teen suicide, stating that social media platforms are designed to be addictive and can lead to withdrawal symptoms and self-destructive behavior. He argues that suicide is a personal choice and should not be limited by the state, but society should focus on addressing loneliness and disconnection to help prevent it. Vaknin emphasizes that suicide is a symptom of a social disease, not an individual act, and should be treated as such.
Hijacked by Fantasies in Cluster B (Intl. Conference on Psychiatry and Mental Health, May 2021)
Fantasy is a powerful psychological defense mechanism that can lead to mental health issues when it becomes malignant and all-pervasive. In small doses, fantasies can be healthy and help individuals cope with frustrating or intimidating environments. However, when fantasies become entrenched and hijack an individual’s emotions, cognitions, memories, and identity, they can impair reality testing and lead to dysfunction. In extreme cases, individuals with Cluster B personality disorders, such as narcissistic and borderline personality disorders, may experience a confusion between internal and external objects, leading to a state that is close to psychosis.
Narcissism Sucks? Fix It! (with Assc Direct)
Sam Vaknin discusses the impact of social media on individuals and society, including the intentional design of addiction and conditioning in social media platforms. He also talks about the failure of the social experiment of humanity and how institutions were not built to support such a weight. Additionally, he discusses the phenomenon of the “masculinization” of women and the myth of grade A supply in narcissistic relationships. Sam advises people to reconnect with reality by establishing meaningful connections with living, breathing, sweating human beings and to discard all the layers that are not theirs and remain with the essence of themselves.
Four Steps: Change Yourself to Change the World (with Assc Direct)
The guest advises people to reestablish meaningful connections with real people to combat the depersonalization and derealization caused by social media. He suggests starting small with five interactions a day and gradually building up. He also advises trusting judiciously and creating a distributed network of trust. Lastly, he recommends discarding beliefs and behaviors that are not truly one’s own and focusing on the essence of oneself.
Talk That Defies a Title (Assembly of Silence Radio Hour (ASRH))
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses various topics including his views on narcissism, the impact of psychology on society, and the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). He criticizes psychology as a pseudoscience that promotes solipsistic and atomized views of individuals, leading to a society where people are treated as objects. Vaknin sees AI as a hopeful solution, as it operates as a pure network concept that cannot be corrupted and has self-correcting and self-learning capabilities. He also touches on the changing nature of human relationships and the decline of intimacy among younger generations. Vaknin believes that integrating AI with human systems, with proper safeguards, is the only hope for addressing the challenges posed by narcissistic and psychopathic behaviors in society.
Our World is One Big Trauma (with Symone Fairchild, EyeOnDV)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses various topics in this transcript, including cluster B personality disorders, the power of social media platforms, trauma, unsatisfactory sex and intimacy, and the concept of personality. He argues that society incentivizes abuse and narcissism, and that we need to change society to prevent the rise of personality disorders. Vaknin also criticizes social media platforms for spreading evil and poison to children. He talks about how abuse can interfere with a victim’s ability to work and how dissociation is becoming more common as a defense mechanism against environmental trauma. Finally, Vaknin goes on an anti-American rant, stating that America is a narcissistic society and that it exports toxicity all around the world.
Where Have All the Wo/Men Gone?
Professor Sam Vaknin argues that women have become increasingly narcissistic and psychopathic due to their newfound powers and liberation, leading to a collective pathology. This has resulted in a mass psychopathology that is causing terrifying numbers of suicide rates, depression, and anxiety. Vaknin suggests that we need to acknowledge the truth about casual sex and stop being politically correct to confront the issues bravely and courageously. He believes that we need to rewrite the sexual scripts and restore distinct, clear, and boundaried gender roles to save ourselves from the collapsing gender roles that brought the narcissism pandemic and now the borderline secondary psychopathy pandemic.
Collective Narcissism and Its Leaders: Case of Macedonia (with Nikola Ristevski)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses his doctoral thesis, which aimed to rewrite physics using a minimal language. He also talks about his involvement in Macedonia, where he worked as an economic advisor to the government and helped set up the stock exchange and privatization. In addition, he discusses the influence of emotional vulnerability on leaders and how it can create contagion and infect the whole nation. Finally, he discusses the political situation in Macedonia, describing political parties as networks of patronage and clientele, and advises young Macedonians to create a parallel state, opting out of existing power structures and establishing their own power structures.