Narcissism. . . "Theirs" or "Ours"?

Esoterism aside, I thank Rob Frazer (psychoanalytic psychotherapist) for presenting for comment an admittedly convoluted segment of an article re narcissism. Despite the focus on esoterism and "convolutability", narcissism is nonetheless a topic  "du jour". To respond, I have reverted back to my home base blog since LinkedIn does not allow me enough space to "get into" a topic. My thoughts tend to stretch as elastics do. . .

I'm a professional, if not an obsessive observer. For more than a decade, a specialist in the realm of mental health. For the past 50 years a "painter".  Over time, my social environment observations have led me to conclude that narcissism is not only on the rise, its very presence in our contemporary societies has become a significant marker, if not a trigger, to the instabilities at the root of our collective psychological discomforts. On one end of the mental health spectrum narcissism highlights more than the uncertainty we feel reacting to it or, for that matter, “being it(?)”. In essence, narcissism has become a much too common  "trait" eating away at the structure of collectivities.

Our incessant contemporary cravings for recognition; increasing whining to have our desperate cries for attention sated, our need for the "special that we are" recognized say more about our cell phone toting and clicking selves than we care to admit.

That being said. . . we are a population which continuously selfies our image into a Pandora's Box of  digitized mirror forms - thereby both imprisoning those images and ourselves. Why? Are we desperately trying to see "moi" as more (at least virtually) than the lesser somethings we (actually?) seem to feel we are?

We live in a time which is conflicted both within us and without and neither the twain shall meet. Regardless, that cult of moi is nigh on this embattled ground where a concomitant revitalized fascism feeds (encourages?) our fears and insecurities in order to rule rather than lead the anxious mobs that we are increasingly becoming.

In 1976 I discovered that the west was not well when participants returning from the Vietnam War were handed over the responsibility for that far off turmoil - this to assuage the guilt of those (at home) who, in fact, had led us into the fray in the first place. We collectively (in solidarity with our "authorities"?) chose to spit on the returnees even before they had set one foot back on their unwelcoming home soil. This is not to say that this feral event and its consequences are at the root of our present times being f. . ed up. I’m just saying that this is when I discovered (for myself) that there was something “there” to be looked at and even scanned more closely - both as a person of conscience and a painter wondering about the world. At 31 years old I began worrying about what was happening to “us” all. At 74 I am still wondering and worrying and analyzing and incessantly observing and knowing that I wasn’t wrong then and am not wrong now. And so I record.

Birth of a male narcissist is simply one of the many artworks which have been created during the years I have been involved in this process of "analysis". I know it will one day be interesting to exhibit my cohort of "direct" reflections which speak to a never-ending “wonderings about”.

Born in the year the Second World War ended seems to have fashioned my focus on our western society’s penchant to delude and denude itself of any consequence for which it should rightly accept responsibility - but never seems to. Such is the fate of a world which pretends itself great when in fact it is waning in both favour and ecological and societal mental health. But then, I digress. My apologies Mr. Frazer.

Below, I present a 2007 reflection entitled: "Birth Of A Male Narcissist" - Oil - 30" x 36" - 2007.