Why Narcissists are Best Actors, Thespians

1. They do not exist to start with. They can assume anyone’s identity with ease and to perfection, but then they are possessed by the character. They do not feel or know that they are acting. They believe their own confabulated narrative;
2. They feel more comfortable in fantasy than in reality;
3. Internal audiencing (imaginary audience) and self-supply (personal fable);
4. They have been rehearsing all their lives essentially the same lines;
5. They are charismatic, energetic (driven, addicted), and confident;
6. Cold empathy.
But their performance is tone deaf and awry. Something is off. Finally, it unravels because the narcissist cannot cathect for long.
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[@217truthseeker]

Another breath of fresh air by sam, sitting here battling internally with envy and resentment, knowing it's my self delusion causing such a battle, cause when truth and reality set in, all resentment and envy dissipates, then only pity remains for the borderline. The borderline is not the cause, but the symptom of my unresolved pain, pain I ran from all my life, opiates being my security blanket. Clean of opiates for 12yrs, but 12yrs with borderline, the bpd was the perfect substitute for opioid addiction, had no time to look at myself, it's all about the borderline needs, which are insatiable, now I am done with the borderline, and here I am again, the pain I was running from, it's time to face it, go through it, identify it, accept it, grieve it, in therapy . U cant run forever, but the borderline has no choice. In spite of my pain, in reality I'm doing the best I have ever done. Cause truth reigns, and I accept and love the truth, for it leads to life, life in the soul, apart from the external.

[@angelh4212]

They are the best actors! I tell my husband often that he should have been an actor with all that drama going on.

[@rjlacroix3334]

Spot on ! I found my ex narcissist with another man .... I didn't recognize her, she was dressed similar to him .Frightening experience .

[@miminini9857]

That is how i knew that the ex narc started to groom a new supply. He started to mimic her, talk like her, watch same movies like her...everything changed with them..chameleons

[@Sean-d3q2r]

You can only save yourself.

[@thearchive26788]

Then why are you trying to save others?

[@Mitopp111]

I told my Ex he could have won the Oscars. Wasted all his time in finance 😂

[@jemsweaters690]

Can’t fool those of us watching Dr Vaknin’s videos though.

[@annsmith4897]

"Mine" narcissist even told me at the beginning of the"25 years relation " that HE WAS A GOOD ACTOR. Stupid me had NO CLUE then and played that scripted role for me.

[@Luka663]

I’ve been there. My ex narc girlfriend vomited on me after I took her out for an expensive dinner and drinks. Instead of saying “I’m sorry” she said “why are you still with me”. Ah the devaluation stage is priceless. I really liked those jeans

[@Luka663]

Has anyone experienced the crocodile tears before? They are soo fake

[@teresadvorak6145]

Yes, my sister does that 😮😢😅

[@juliaeffertz4617]

Interesting video and question! Are good actors narcissists? My honest opinion is: most aren't. Really good acting requires empathy. It requires us to feel, really feel, and be able to feel and experience, what another person (the character we're playing) is going through. This core requirement of truthful acting demands something that a pathological narcissist simply cannot feel, namely: empathy and compassion. Good (and healthy) acting also requires us to have a healthy sense of self: I must know myself and be grounded, so that I can separate myself from my character. This is good acting: I am able to truly "dive" into the feeling of someone else and feel it like my own, but also able to know that this is not me, and that I can get out of character after the performance. Some actors are narcissists. I think you can tell by the fact that their acting has a certain "performance" to it, there is something wooden, not quite right, rehearsed. I can "see" their acting rather than the character who's just experiencing a feeling....

[@samvaknin]

Time to watch the video.

[@Phil..._]

You make some very good points. I'm tempted to side with your well put rationell. That said, however, we do need to remember the motivations for why actors wish to play the role in the first place. I have actors in my family. I also have narcissists in my family. I know what drives them, and what they get from being someone else in front of a willing and appreciative audience. Not all narcisists are actors, but most actors are narcissistic.

[@juliaeffertz4617]

@Phil..._ there's a really good 2019 research study that shows what happens inside the actor's brain when they're "in character". Fascinating what changes and which brain regions are active/inactive! I think acting also evolved over the centuries: it started out as simple story-telling, for humans to share experiences, to communicate and connect. We humans are born to be creative, so I believe there is something very healthy to making art: music, painting, acting, writing etc. When you ask some artists why they do what they do, they will tell you of that passion to tell a story, to make sense of the world creatively. I think that is the most beautiful reason to make art....then you have fame, and our present day celebrity culture. Nowadays, people become actors because they desire "that", which comes with a certain level of notoriety...it is a fascinating field for sure! :) and yes: every performers has a bit of a narcissistic streak for sure - you need to feel comfortable putting yourself in front of people.

[@maysabrina-n9r]

Your knowledge is amazing! And what about people with bpd? Can they be great actors with deep emotional representation? You say that something seems cold, off and detached with narcissist, like they do mimicry. Are pwbpd more geniune, emotionally authentic? Or do they have thespian talent at all? Since they also have a schizoid, empty core but have access also to love and positive emotions.

[@samvaknin]

Borderlines are busy playing themselves in an eternal unfolding drama.

[@maysabrina-n9r]

​@@samvaknin thank you so much! And what about covert borderline? Can they be great actors?

[@NoirExistence]

Spot on, Professor. Acting is the most brutal profession you can pursue, but the narc supply is unlike any other in the world, making it all worth it.

[@hadiza1]

Good morning 💜📚

[@thearchive26788]

Sir, i find no peace in reality nor fantasy. I have struggled all my life to find a place for myself. I have always wanted to be left alone. My suffering was immense and it blinded me to the rage inside me until i started arguing and getting into fights with my dad. I fear that i have gone too far. I have physically abused him and he has psychologically abused me and gaslighted me for the past 15 years. Even as a kid he treated me a failed child. I was the black sheep and my brother was the golden child. My father also shares similar personality with my brother. But my brother is way worse than my dad. He would make promises he'd never keep and goals he would never fulfill. I went no contact with him and somehow he keeps getting back into my life over and over. He might even be reading this comment as i type. He has abused me very badly, psychologically speaking while i was genuinely trying to empathize with him and help him with his goals, all while knowing i was in an abusive relationships. I want to forgive. He is my brother. How do i save him?

[@bwari01]

You can’t save him. Save yourself instead. If you do not go no contact for real, eventually, the drama is going to kill you. Choose yourself.

[@evbemma33]

My mother all her life was saying with smirky smile that she is a good actrees (her work she is a doctor). I didnt know why she was saying this. Mamy years later i started connecting dots.

[@Luka663]

They are indeed actors and we enjoy being in audience. Reminds me of the Siren from Greek mythology!

[@JavierMares]

Thanks Professor Vaknin. In which artistic genres, if any, do "healthy" minds have an advantage? You mention profundity, perhaps this is most manifested in poetry, or long prose?

[@samvaknin]

Search the channel for "creat" and for "art".

[@Daniela_rodriguez15]

Dr. Sam, is it possible to book a session with you?

[@mdchz]

If you had a person with NPD strapped to a Lie detector, What questions would you ask and how accurate would they be in detecting deception, in your opinion?

[@teresadvorak6145]

😅😂😅 LMAO!!!😅

[@maryvera123]

I think they would pass with flying colors because they believe their own confabulations!

[@natashashakirova3441]

​@@maryvera123А мне кажется что они прекрасно понимают что лгут, обманывают и клевещут, они же не сумасшедшие, и вполне отдают себе отчет что творят злое.

[@apubanerjee5496]

PROF , My answer to your title of this video is :--- little did these best actors ever knew the director of the play is the one & only one : ---- 👇 THE UNIVERSE . 😃 .