It may be worth noting that narcissism itself is not a disorder. Persons differ in how much comfort and confidence they have about their natural narcissism. When they are not confident or comfortable with it, they get labelled as narcissistic if they are more difficult to relate to than when they feel better about their narcissism. So, in thinking of the Narcissus letters as referring to a kind of personality "disorder," one could miss another important dimension to the letters. It would appear the author was referring to a fundamentally human process common to all. Note especially the last paragraph in the last letter. It contains what the author says is "arguably the most important point presented." It is: "If the truth be told, EVERYONE is so much more like narcissists than otherwise. Harry Stack Sullivan was addressing you and me and everyone when he wrote "We are all much more human than otherwise." For all of us, our greatest humiliation is realizing how little are the slights and foibles that can leave us feeling undeserving of the title "full-fledged human being." The disorder here, if there is one, would appear to the disorder of being human. This can, of course, be, without a doubt, disorder enough!! D. Sorder Enuff
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