One of the most hardwired, central characteristics about narcissist is this:
Given the choice between tightening their circle around true believers or expanding it to include only partial believers, they will take the former every damn time.
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Given the choice between tightening their circle around true believers or expanding it to include only partial believers, they will take the former every damn time.
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Narcissists cannot handle the prospect of people in their circle seeing them as anything less than all-good.
We see that in Trump purging anyone who even questions him.
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We see that in Trump purging anyone who even questions him.
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And we see that in Bernie Sanders’ hires and rhetoric as a candidate.
Bernie could have chosen to expand his circle of support over the past four years.
Instead, he chose to entrench, isolate and lock in only those who truly believe without question.
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Bernie could have chosen to expand his circle of support over the past four years.
Instead, he chose to entrench, isolate and lock in only those who truly believe without question.
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Bernie Sanders has walled off the compound and barred the doors.
Like Trump, he compulsively nurtures an unquestioning “I alone” and “us vs. them” mentality.
He is four years into running for president and his base has become more fervent and conditioned - and no larger.
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Like Trump, he compulsively nurtures an unquestioning “I alone” and “us vs. them” mentality.
He is four years into running for president and his base has become more fervent and conditioned - and no larger.
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That’s what narcissists do.
They perpetually tend their flock to deepen the dependency of the ardent believers while insulating them from non-believers.
Narcissists cannot handle coalitions. They can only handle worship.
And that leaves a small, hyper-devoted flock.
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They perpetually tend their flock to deepen the dependency of the ardent believers while insulating them from non-believers.
Narcissists cannot handle coalitions. They can only handle worship.
And that leaves a small, hyper-devoted flock.
5/5
And I’ll just add to this:
A narcissist’s greatest threat is competing information sources.
They work tirelessly to discredit any rival source of information until their true believers have been conditioned to believe they are the only source of truth.
A narcissist’s greatest threat is competing information sources.
They work tirelessly to discredit any rival source of information until their true believers have been conditioned to believe they are the only source of truth.
