Codependency State Of Mind, Not State Of Affairs
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the relationship between narcissists and their intimate partners, explaining that narcissists only need their partners to provide them with sex, supply, sadistic and narcissistic services. He also clarifies the terms codependent, counterdependent, and independent and discusses dependent personality disorder. The pathogenesis of co-dependency is brought about by parents who teach their children to expect only conditional transactional love, leading to the child feeling rage and anger at the unjust mistreatment. To overcome codependency, one should realize that the world never ends when relationships do, analyze their addiction, make a plan of action, and seek social support.
Collapsed Somatic, Psychopathic Cerebral, Transforming Shared Fantasy
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the narcissist’s shared fantasy and how it affects their relationships and behavior. Narcissists use shared fantasies to relate to the world and regulate their moods. When a narcissist fails in their attempts to maintain their fantasies, they may transition into other types of narcissism or even psychopathy. Intelligence plays a crucial role in the psychopathic antisocial choices of collapsed narcissists, as they need to believe in their own intelligence to maintain their false narratives and illusions.
Chair Work Be Your Abuser, Talk To Him Her For 10 Minutes
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of nothingness and suggests using chair work, a psychological technique, to better understand oneself and others. He reads excerpts from Oliver Sacks’ book “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat” and James Tiptree’s “Meet Me at Infinity” to illustrate the importance of memory, identity, and self-discovery. Vaknin emphasizes the need to let go of ego and status, and to embrace empathy and understanding in order to grow and change.
World After Pandemic: Society and Economy (Interview Kanal 77)
Pandemics are self-limiting and have a social and economic rebound. The aftermath of pandemics is always the same, with an explosion of extraversion and an economic rebound. However, the pandemic will lead to income inequality, with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. The workforce will be divided into two segments, with 90% of workers being low-income and unskilled, and the remaining 10% being highly skilled and educated. The pandemic will lead to a revolution, but it will fail because the masses are too heavily invested in the same system that the elites benefit from.
Sam Vaknin’s Party Boat of Harsh Truths Facebook Group Q&A (with Sherri McKeon)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses various topics, including his views on narcissism, covert narcissism, the impact of the pandemic on mental health, the nature of leadership, and the state of modern physics. He criticizes the tendency to invent concepts like dark matter and dark energy when faced with unexplained phenomena, instead of revising existing models. He also touches on his theory of time as a fundamental field and the importance of not multiplying entities in scientific theories. Vaknin emphasizes the need for humility in science and the dangers of grandiosity in both personal behavior and academic pursuits.
Victimhood Movements Hijacked by Narcissists and Psychopaths
Social justice movements are often infiltrated by psychopaths and narcissists who rise to the top and become the public face of the movement. These individuals seek attention, power, and narcissistic supply. The movements start with legitimate grievances, but often deteriorate into identity politics and grandiosity. Left-leaning movements tend to be more entitled and grandiose, while right-leaning movements are more conspiracy-minded and psychopathic. Narcissists and psychopaths flock to these movements and become leaders, ultimately taking over the movement.
Mantras for New Normal, Victim’s Resolutions
In this transcript, Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the story of Jacob wrestling with an angel and how it represents the human struggle with existence. He emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-acceptance, without narcissism, as the key to happiness. He also advises setting clear boundaries and having zero tolerance for abuse and disrespect. Vaknin encourages embracing change and focusing on oneself in the new normal of 2021.
YOU are THE Master Text (Prophets of Narcissism: Louis Althusser, 1960s, SIAS-CIAPS Lecture)
Louis Althusser was a prominent intellectual figure in the 1960s and 1970s, contributing to cultural debates and modern intellectual history. He believed that society consists of practices, such as economic, political, and ideological practices, and that ideology is a central part of the social superstructure. Althusser’s work focused on the concept of the “problematic,” which determines which questions and answers are part of a discourse and which should be excluded. He also introduced the idea of “interpolation,” where ideologies attempt to influence individuals and convert them into subjects, such as consumers.
Narcissism’s Enemies: God, Work, Family (Prophets of Narcissism: Christopher Lasch, 1979, (lecture)
The lecture discusses Christopher Lasch and his views on narcissism, the decline of society, and the role of religion. Lasch criticizes capitalism, consumerism, and the intellectual elite, advocating for a return to traditional values and religious faith. He also discusses the impact of progress and the decline of religion on society. The lecture ends with a preview of the next lecture in the series.
Identify Your Shadow 14 Shadow Types
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses different shadow types in each section. In the first section, he describes the first shadow type characterized by anhedonia, dysphoria, intellectual superiority, victimization, and persecutory delusions. In the second section, he discusses four different shadow types, including a lack of empathy, criminal behavior, paranoia, and emotional instability. In the third section, he provides examples of three different patients as shadow types. In the fourth section, he describes two shadow types in groups, such as nations, clubs, and churches. Finally, in the fifth section, he discusses four different shadow types, including emotional absence, self-destructive behavior, worthlessness, and sadistic behavior.