Smackdown! Professional Empathist Vs Professional Narcissist!

[cajun]

Edwin Rutsch, founder of an organization that promotes "empathy" interviews Dr. Sam Vaknin, a self-proclaimed narcissist:

 

[Aero]

I think it's interesting how the Empathy guy couldn't match the lack of emotion on the narcissists part. How he reacts almost surgically with his arguments. Because empathy makes you weak, or appear so at least.

 

[cajun]

Oh, I found more videos between these two. Rutsch is teaching Vaknin to use teflective listening.

Very interesting. I have a narcissistic contempt for the concept of "empaths" but the extended conversation is more constructive.

 

[Aero]

I wonder how that worked out. Because I believe his claims about being a narcissist. I think that sucks if he's really unable to have the emotional impulses most of us have. But I'm a little skeptical of that. I would argue he still has the capacity to, it's been shut off by him.

What's wrong with being a smart empath? Or mixing both worlds.

 

[cajun]

Well, my attitude is due to the fact that so many self-identified empaths are actually severe narcissists looking for sources of "supply". The concept of empathy itself is almost irrelevant to what they actually are doing, which is vampire-like.

Altho Vaknin proclaims himself to be a psychopath, it is clear that he is well-grounded in reality. Many NPD's are not, and one of the things they like to do is convince themselves that they have the right to speak for other people because they believe themselves to be more articulate. The whole empath movement plays right into that delusion by giving them an opportunity to completely obliterate the other person.

 

[Aero]

Yes it just comes down to if being a vampire can be a good thing or not. Because you are right, empathizing rarely actually helps the other person. Sometimes it does, but the real reason for acting that way is selfishness.

Vaknin is right, that we do things like that so we don't feel guilty. My senses are like obligated to try to help someone if I can, but it's not really because I'm a good person. Sometimes I'll go out of my way to help, but for the most part. Empathy is about not feeling bad about myself.