The Cyber Narcissist
To the narcissist, the Internet is an alluring and irresistible
combination of playground and hunting grounds, the gathering
place of numerous potential Sources of Narcissistic Supply, a
world where false identities are the norm and mind games the bon
ton. And it is beyond the reach of the law, the pale of social
norms, the strictures of civilized conduct.
The somatic finds cyber-sex and cyber-relationships aplenty. The
cerebral claims false accomplishments, fake skills, erudition
and talents. Both, if minimally communicative, end up at the
instantly gratifying epicenter of a cult of fans, followers,
stalkers, erotomaniacs, denigrators, and plain nuts. The
constant attention and attendant quasi-celebrity feed and
sustain their grandiose fantasies and inflated self-image.
The Internet is an extension of the real-life Narcissistic
Pathological Space but without its risks, injuries, and
disappointments. In the virtual universe of the Web, the
narcissist vanishes and reappears with ease, often adopting a
myriad aliases and nicknames. He (or she) can thus fend off
criticism, abuse, disagreement, and disapproval effectively and
in real time