Vaknin Talks

Manipulative Histrionic Craves Attention: HPD Misconceptions Debunked (Literature Review)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses histrionic personality disorder, emphasizing its attention-seeking behaviors and exaggerated emotionality. He reviews recent studies that challenge traditional perceptions of the disorder, including its gender bias in diagnosis and its connection to other mental health issues such as eating disorders, sexual dysfunctions, and substance abuse. The lecture also explores the influence of adverse childhood experiences on histrionic personality traits and their association with impulsivity and alcohol use severity. Overall, the emerging picture of histrionic personality disorder suggests a complex interplay of power dynamics, emotional regulation, and attention-seeking behaviors.

Posted on 5/4/2024, 23 minute read

Criminalize Narcissistic Abuse? (with Dr. Yana Greenberg, Be Honest Podcast)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of narcissism, distinguishing between clinical narcissism and societal narcissism. He explains that narcissism can be defined in multiple ways, including as a mental illness, a social problem, or an organizing principle of society. Vaknin emphasizes the importance of criminalizing narcissistic abuse and provides practical advice on how to recognize and protect oneself from narcissistic behavior. He also discusses the covert narcissist and the potential for narcissistic behavior to worsen or change as individuals age.

Posted on 5/3/2024, 54 minute read

Narcissist's Grievances vs. Real Victim's Complaints

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the difference between narcissists who claim to be victims and true victims. He explains that narcissists focus on external appearances and complain about losing status, reputation, and possessions, while true victims are inward-oriented and complain about the loss of personal identity, shattered inner peace, and broken dreams. He emphasizes that narcissists lack a rich internal life and their grievances are superficial, while real victims experience deep emotional and psychological damage. Additionally, he highlights that narcissists often present themselves as pure and angelic, denying any wrongdoing, while real victims recognize the interplay between the abuser and themselves and seek to restore their inner core.

Posted on 5/2/2024, 8 minute read

Dispatches from the End of the World (Technoculture with Federica Bressan)

In this lecture, Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the psychology of the metaverse and its potential impact on human behavior. He argues that the metaverse represents a commodification of reality and a shift towards a more narcissistic and psychopathic society. Vaknin believes that the metaverse will exacerbate existing societal problems, such as victimhood, paranoia, and conspiracy theories, and that people will be drawn to the metaverse as a form of escapism from the unbearable realities of the world. He also expresses concern about the breakdown of intergender relations and the decline of intimacy and community in modern society. Vaknin suggests that the metaverse may offer an attractive alternative to the current state of the world, which he describes as the worst period in human history due to the lack of support and the prevalence of global challenges.

Posted on 5/1/2024, 1 hour 29 minute read

Why Narcissist Never Listens to YOU? (Hint: Because he CAN’T: Attentional Narrowing)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the concept of attentional narrowing and hyper focus in narcissism. He explains that narcissists suffer from dissociation, memory gaps, and amnesia, which are not fully explained by dissociation. Attentional narrowing is a serious problem for narcissists, as their attention is focused on obtaining narcissistic supply and maintaining grandiosity, leading to a lack of attention for others and the environment. Hyper focus and attentional narrowing are also observed in other mental health conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and psychopathy. These phenomena are associated with heightened emotional arousal and a drive to withdraw from negative emotions. The lecture emphasizes the negative impact of attentional narrowing on self-control and the ability to focus on relevant information.

Posted on 4/30/2024, 29 minute read

Psychology of War Criminals (TalkTV with Petrie Hosken)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the transformation of individuals in war, attributing it to psychological defense mechanisms and fear. He explains how bonding with the enemy and the breakdown of ethical consensus lead to abnormal behavior and the commission of war crimes. Vaknin emphasizes the role of conformity and peer pressure in war, but also highlights the potential for individuals to resist committing war crimes. Overall, he stresses the complexity and ugliness of war, acknowledging that not all soldiers commit war crimes despite the pressures to do so.

Posted on 4/29/2024, 10 minute read

Why the Emptiness in Borderlines, Narcissists? (Introjection Failure and Compulsive Introjection)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the emptiness inside borderlines and narcissists, exploring the origins and causes of this void. He explains that all individuals are born with an empty core and that the process of introjection and internalization is crucial in developing a sense of self and relationships with others. However, borderlines and narcissists struggle with these processes, leading to a persistent feeling of emptiness. Borderlines rely on external objects to compensate for their inability to introject, while narcissists constantly introject to mask their emptiness. Vaknin also delves into the concepts of object constancy, internalization, interjection, identification, and incorporation, and how dysfunctions in these mechanisms contribute to the development of borderline and narcissistic personalities.

Posted on 4/28/2024, 29 minute read

How Narcissist, Borderline Morph Into Each Other

Professor Sam Vaknin announces his extended appointment as a professor at CEOPS and his new role teaching management studies. He then delves into the debate on the relationship between narcissism and borderline personality disorder, discussing the views of prominent scholars and offering his own perspective. He explains how narcissism is a defense mechanism against the core problem of emotional dysregulation, and how both narcissism and borderline personality disorder involve dependency on others. He concludes that both disorders are on the same spectrum, with different solutions and defenses for the same core issue of emotional regulation.

Posted on 4/27/2024, 22 minute read

How Narcissist Misperceives YOUR Intimacy, Love (with Conor Ryan, Eyes Wide Open, EXCERPT)

Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the dynamics of intimate relationships with narcissists. He explains that narcissists are incapable of perceiving others as separate from themselves and can only form relationships with internal constructs of others in their minds. They use external regulation and projection to maintain their self-image and avoid shame. The narcissist's concept of love is actually narcissistic elation, a merging and fusing with a mother figure that affirms their grandiosity. Narcissists choose partners based on what they can provide, such as sex, services, safety, and object constancy, rather than who they are as individuals. The victims of narcissistic abuse often struggle to accept this reality and may resort to narcissistic defenses to cope.

Posted on 4/26/2024, 13 minute read

The Rich Have You BRAINWASHED: Capitalism is a Zero-sum Game, They WIN, YOU LOSE

Professor Sam Vaknin's lecture at Euro College in North Macedonia went viral due to its complexity, covering history, cultural studies, and economics. He clarifies that he is qualified to discuss economics due to his extensive experience and publications in the field. Vaknin argues that capitalism is a zero-sum game, benefiting the rich at the expense of the poor, and provides evidence to support his claim, including the impact of taxation, inflation, and the depletion of natural resources. He also discusses the illusion of economic growth through fiat money, debt, and a symbolic economy, ultimately concluding that the system is rigged to benefit the rich and exploit the poor.

Posted on 4/25/2024, 35 minute read

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