Narcissism has become a contemporary pandemic that seems to have been normalized, accepted, and even celebrated, both in society at large and by some of our political and business leaders. In this book, world-renowned psychology and leadership thinker Manfred Kets de Vries explains this modern phenomenon and imagines how you would help the narcissist on the notional 'coach’s couch.' Consumerism, competitive urges, individualism, and identity politics are examples of how our present-day culture has reinforced the self-glorification that drives narcissism—this cult of the self. Although a healthy competitive spirit is part of human nature, for narcissistic people it can turn into an all-consuming character trait. They view the world almost exclusively in terms of “winners” and “losers,” and to lose is unacceptable. Unfortunately, social media seems to provide ample opportunities to magnify the competitive or narcissistic disposition present in all of us. Starting with an in-depth
