Narcissus

I'm sure more than a few of you are familiar with the Greek Myth of Narcissus. But here is a refresher for the rest of you. According to Ovid (from his Metamorphoses) Narcissus, who had "just reached his sixteenth year" (fifteen, by modern standards), spurned the love of both youths and girls. A nymph, Echo, loved him, but she could never get his attention. He was riveted to the water's edge, entranced by the beautiful boy he thought he glimpsed within, and she eventually pined away longing for him... until nothing was left of Echo but her sad, pleading voice. Narcissus thought the image in the water was real and pined away with desire, eventually transforming into the flower that bears his name.

Another version claims that Ameinias, a young man, loved Narcissus but was scorned. To tell Ameinias off, Narcissus gave him a sword as a present. Ameinias used the sword to kill himself on Narcissus' doorstep and prayed to Nemesis that Narcissus would one day know the pain of unrequited love. This curse was fulfilled when Narcissus became entranced by his reflection in the pool and tried to seduce the beautiful boy, not realizing it was himself at which he was looking.

Narcissism is named after Narcissus, and both derive from the Greek word narke "numb" from which we also get the word narcotic. Thus for the Greeks Narcissus stood for callousness and insensitivity, as he was emotionally numb to the entreaties of those who fell in love with his beauty.

I was surprised to discover that narcissism is now considered to be a full-fledged personality disorder, according to the DSM-IV. It is defined as a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts. The Diagnostic Criteria fro NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) include:

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Don't we all know someone who it like this? And before you ask, no I've not been diagnosed with this disorder. I just find it shocking how what used to be thought of as just personality traits and "quirks" are now being classified as disorders, suitable for treatment with medication. Aren't the drug companies rich enough as it is? Can everything now be solved by medication?

More people now are taking medication in America than ever before, the numbers are unprecedented. Medicine is meant to help, heal, take away pain, or improve the quality of life.

And I ask: is it working? Are we Americans leading better lives, now that we have a drug for everything under the sun, or are we too drugged to even notice?

***My opinion only, take it or leave it. Not legal tender. Actual value: $.02 USD***