While character disturbance is widepread, it occurs along spectra of both type and degree. Not every empathy-impaired person is a psychopath. And not all folks with narcissistic traits and tendencies are the same. Getting the right information and finding the right help can be a real challenge.
Shame can be certainly be a bad thing. And some shame is truly toxic. But in our days of rampant character dysfunction, shamelessness is a much bigger problem than too much shame. The most disturbed characters among us are the most shameless.
Some accomplished fighters aggress in subtle, stealthy tactics that enable them to use and abuse while still looking good. It’s no wonder folks on the receiving end of such behavior feel crazy!
It’s harder than ever to adequately define personality and character-related pathology because the spectrum of dysfuntion has become so broad, varied, and normalized.
Narcissism, in its varied and often subtle forms, is so prevalent, it can go unnoticed. And we can even give it a pass or enable it. That is, of course, until the worst manifestations of it drag us to unbearable depths.