According to Millon, �narcissistic persons feel justified in their claim for special status, and they have little conception that their behaviors may be objectionable, even irrational. They believe that they are special�if not unique�persons who deserve great admiration from others. Quite frequently, they act in a grandiose and self-assured manner, often without commensurate achievements. Although they expect to be seen as meritorious, most narcissistic individuals are viewed by others as egotistical, inconsiderate, and arrogant. Their self-image is that they are superior persons, �extra-special� individuals who are entitled to unusual rights and privileges. This view of their self-worth is fixed so firmly in their minds that they rarely question whether it is valid. Moreover, anyone who fails to respect them is viewed with contempt and scorn.�It is not difficult to see why the behaviors of narcissistic people are so gratifying to them. By treating themselves kindly; by imagining their own prowess, beauty, and intelligence; and by reveling in their �obvious� superiorities and talents, they gain, through self-reinforcement, the rewards that most people must struggle to achieve through genuine attainments. Narcissistic individuals do not need to depend on anyone else to provide gratification; they always have themselves to �keep them warm.��1
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Click on the note number to return to where you were above; click on the author's name to go to the bibliographic entry.1Millon, 1998, p. 85