Guest post by Eliza from Aesthetic Distance.
Narcissism gets a bad rap in the media and pop culture. When we call someone a narcissist, it is almost never a compliment. They have a reputation for being sociopaths. We say we can’t stand them, but research shows we actually tend to view them as more confident, intelligent and attractive than other people. Sure, at the extreme (which is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder), it can lead to a lack of empathy and a sense of entitlement. But then why are so many narcissists successful and well-respected? Since we live in a world of “the personal brand,” I’m here to dispute the bad reputation of narcissism and talk about the good parts of being a narcissist.