...at it seems so according to criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (I'm not a professional in a psychological field. I'm simply looking at the professionals' documented criteria.)
As most probably know by now, last night at the VMA Awards Kanye jumped up on the stage, took the mic from Taylor Swift who was in the middle of her thoughts on winning the award for Best Video of the Year, and shouted to everyone how Beyonce should have won. (Click here to watch.)
This is not the first time he's taken the mic from a person accepting a once-in-a-lifetime award.
Then there are other such tirades.
According to wikipedia,
"Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the diagnostic classification system used in the United States, as 'a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.'"The manual says it's indicated by five (or more) of the following:
- Has a grandiose sense of self-importance
- Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty or ideal love (megalomania)
- Believes they are "special" and can only be understood by, or should associate with, people (or institutions) who are also "special" or of high status
- Requires excessive admiration
- Has a sense of entitlement
- Is interpersonally exploitative
- Lacks empathy
- Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
- Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
You be the judge.
-Forsyth
Posts
Kanye is one of the few artists that I can say with a high degree of certainty that he has narcissistic traits. Whether he has NPD or not, i am not sure, but he is certainly acutely narcisstic and completely self-absorbed in the truest sense of the words. I like his music, but I despise the man, sadly.
ReplyDeleteWord
ReplyDeleteAt least I'm not the only one thinking of this topic. Kanye does cover 8 of the 9 criteria but #7 still lingers on me, does he "Lacks empathy" to others. From the beginning I watched him move from a famed underdog building high motivation individual to a personality with a motivation that is practically obsessive. Overall his actions and comments (as some say are tarades) have a blunt honesty with a underlining message that does hold meaning outside himself. http://hautdogg.tumblr.com/post/21196145397/jimmy-russell-quitegregarious
ReplyDeleteare you kidding me,if this is what NPD and its symptoms are then i think Every person except for god on the face this earth is suffereing from it.
ReplyDeleteOk, just to clarify something for people: these criteria have specific implications and require interpretation by a professional. As a student I worked overnights on a ward ...to stay awake I would read the DSM. Having not completed my training, I could diagnose myself with almost anything. Ok, NPD may actually fit this case (and NPD patients often learn how to present an empathic response as a mechanism to advance their own agenda). However, it's not appropriate to diagnose an individual without direct consultation. All I can say is NPD could be one of a number of possible conditions. Well, I can also say that he is a person I would actively avoid because of the potential negative outcomes.
ReplyDeleteMy gut says that he has coping mechanism which have allowed him to avoid certain stages of personality growth and the effect is amplified by a totally absent personal boundary system - what some refer to as a non-Western worldview. Essentially, everything in the external world is immediately related to an individual's sense of self. Without any coping boundaries, this accumulates and the only reaction left is to attack, blame, and assert one's own value in the form of constant demands for recognition and respect. Unfortunately, none are sufficient so all are interpreted as further person attacks. Also, this can be vary confusing because others don't see it the same way. That makes the situation worse and tadda ...the person presents as narcissistic with grandiose affect and devastatingly low self esteem.
The guy has problems. Without assistance he may (is likely) to fall into the trap he says others do with fame and self destruct.
Oh, this pattern is not new for him. At 18 he spent two paychecks while working as a telemarketer to but Gucci slippers. That speaks to a deep need for recognition, a distorted sense of personal importance (because it was so disproportionate and justified as wanting to be especially special), and that it has not been induced by others after attaining any level of notoriety. I suspect he genuinely doesn't understand why others don't accept what he says as the absolute and correct statement of reality.
I hope he gets help, mostly because I hate to see a person suffer under such a scale of personal delusions.
As a professional I can almost certainly say Kanye suffers from an extreme case of NPD. The only case in which he does not is if his behavior is just a character he is playing and not really his true self (which I doubt).
ReplyDeleteHIS MUSIC IS GRATING. HIS GIRLFRIEND HAS SPARE PARTS EVERYWHERE, AND NOW SHE LOOKS LIKE BEONCE . GO FIGURE. YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THEY HAVE A CHILD. WHAT MORE CAN I SAY? THEY ARE SO FAR FROM REALITY,
ReplyDelete