Narcissistic people are under the spotlight, now more than ever, it seems. Dr Ramani Durvasala, an expert on the topic, has described it as “the second -hand smoke of mental health”, suggesting that even being within the general proximity of toxic people is bad for us.
So why do we enjoy watching narcissistic people and cartoon characters in the media so much? Perhaps it’s because they are larger than life, regardless of their arrogance, lack of empathy and manipulative qualities.
They remind us that we’re not infallible gods, only mere mortals. They add spice to narrative arcs, nastiness to an otherwise perfect world. They’re cruel, but full of dark charisma. Look at Cruella De Vil. She’s evil, but what a style icon! Jimmy Stewart wouldn’t be half as compelling in ‘Vertigo’ if he wasn’t such an obsessive, coercive weirdo. Think of office bosses like Miranda Priestly and Don Draper- they’re assholes…Totally narcissistic and killing it in their industries.
You wouldn’t want to cross these creeps in the real world (and they’re definitely everywhere) but in fiction, we need these villains to bring conflict, drama and someone to boo and hiss at. It’s a safe space in which to tackle our own fears, phobias and demons.
Hit The North 