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Why Is Everyone a Narcissist Now?

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When a clinical word creeps into daily conversation, it tends to get watered down (stressed, depressed, addicted to Twitter). It softens from a diagnosis into more of a quirk. “A little OCD” might mean you simply love to perfect your PowerPoints or stack your books in the Zoom background just so. Adorable! But then there is another category of clinical word that tends to get harsher as it spreads. For example, narcissist. I don’t know many people who would humblebrag that they are “a little narcissistic.” (“Fun fact: I just love to gaslight my friends!”) Ever since Trump perfected the template (grandiose, manipulative, easily wounded, unable to tolerate even minor scenarios in which he isn’t deemed central or special), the label has been steadily spreading to celebrities, shitty boyfriends, and sometimes mothers. #narctokadvice is flooded with pictures of terrible exes whose faces are rubbed out and replaced with Johnny Depp’s. Infinite listicles describe life with a narcissist as a ps

Photo: GK Hart/Vikki Hart/Getty Images When a clinical word creeps into daily conversation, it tends to get watered down ( stressed , depressed , addicted to Twitter ). It softens from a diagnosis into more of a quirk. “ A little OCD ” might mean you simply love to perfect your PowerPoints or stack your books in the Zoom background just so. Adorable! But then there is another category of clinical word that tends to get harsher as it spreads. For example, narcissist . I don’t know many people who would humblebrag that they are “a little narcissistic.” (“Fun fact: I just love to gaslight my frie

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