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If you've ever wondered if you were an egomaniac (not that you'd even wonder that if you actually were one), just ask yourself these three questions: 1) Do you obsessively update your status on Facebook?
2) Does your profile picture show you sticking out your lips, your chest and/or your butt?
3) Do you have more images of you by yourself than you with friends/family in your photo albums?
If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then, congratulations -- you may be one of the many whose narcissistic tendencies are being magnified by social media, according to psychologists at York University in Toronto.
In a recent, totally unsurprising study, researchers found that narcissists use Facebook as a portal for obsessive self-promotion, calling it "a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication." The study noted that while while guys did most of their bragging in the "About Me" section, female Facebook narcissism tends to manifest as (sigh) posting lots and lots of photos of oneself.
Gals, take note: Sometimes a picture says a thousand words -- especially if that picture is of you in front of a mirror with a camera phone.
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Wednesday 01 September
By virginia
Some might be Facebook narcissists, but there are people who do these three things for other reasons.
1) Do you obsessively update your status on Facebook? Maybe the person doesn't have many friends. aka TheLoneFacebooker (loner).
2) Does your profile picture show you sticking out your lips, your chest and/or your butt? Maybe the person is overweight and trying to show only what they like about themselves, when it's really just creepy.
3) Do you have more images of you by yourself than you with friends/family in your photo albums? Again, loner.
In conclusion, by your list, my creepy uncle is a Facebook narcissist even though he recently pulled out his own teeth. Yeah. I can't believe I'm related to him either.
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Friday 03 September
By Patty
LMAO! Perfect!
Friday 03 September
By HsouixZ
Dear Virgina,
Thank you so much for posting your response to the article about narcissism. I was feeling particularly down and your post was just the bit laughter I needed.
I have a hellish day ahead of me tomorrow, and the entire week-end is going to be a busy one.
I don't know your tooth-pulling Uncle, however he seems like a hoot.
Thanks again!
Susie H.
Wednesday 01 September
By racine
I don't post photos of other people out of respect for their privacy. I have even posted hardly any pictures of my husband, because he does not want his photo to be visible for everyone. I think everyone has the rights to their own pictures, that's why my photos usually show myself with some rare ones of FB friends who post photos a lot so I assume they don't mind.
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Friday 03 September
By tychoaonghus
Yeah, it's unfortunate that some people have the need to constantly promote themselves. I know some people that 'friend' total strangers or friends-of-friends just so they can have as many friends as possible. As if it's a contest. I have a friend, a guy that I used to work with and know quite well who has over 1200 friends. Really? I can't imagine every one of those people is his FRIEND!
I also have a couple of young cousins that are always updating their photos or updating their status on pretty much an hourly basis (as if I care that you're going for a pedicure!) but what really baffles me is the incessant game-playing at FB. The automatically-posted updates indicate that someone will spend literally HOURS playing games, "So-and-so has just scored ten-billion at Camelot" or "So-and-so needs (this weapon-fill in blank) in Mafia Wars" and so on. It's almost as if they're promoting their brain to rot from all this mindless game-playing. How about real life?
The narcissists I can deal with. I already know who they are among my 'friends.' But it's the games played until the wee hours and very obviously nothing else is being done (including those with kids, family to tend to, spend time with, etc) that this behavior is the worst. Does this fall under the "Get A Life" category?
Sure, I have FB. I check it maybe twice a day. I NEVERRRR play any of the games or participate in the apps or questionaires. Nonsense. I post some photos of myself, loved ones, my pets, and MAYBE once every few weeks, I make a status update. Isn't that how it's intended? I mean, status isn't for hourly updates "I just had the worst case of gas" (I kid you not, people...) and some things should be kept to oneself, not broadcast for the world to know.
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Friday 03 September
By LFleming
Agreed!
Friday 03 September
By LScott
You're probably better than everyone else then.
Friday 03 September
By cheerleader
Ok well for one I play Farmville on Facebook. I get on about twice a day. You said you dont play any of the games. How can you judge people when you dont even know what really goes on..Just because an update is on the newsfeed doesnt mean they play games all day..I post plenty of feeds about farmville and im not on all day every day.. I have a wonderful son and boyfriend and I have plenty of time to spend with them. Farmville doesnt run my life. So I would suggest you not generalize everyone based on something you apparently dont know enough about.. Thanks!
Friday 03 September
By Liberty
Tychoanghus, Wow! I'm so glad that you have deemed yourself the Facebook Police. We all need someone like you judging us for enjoying ourselves a little. I have to wonder though, in all of your superiority, why you haven't figured out how to hide all those annoying game posts from your feed. I have them all blocked from my feed because it makes it hard to see actual status updates, but I would never judge my friends for playing games on THEIR OWN TIME, no matter what time of day or night that might be. Seriously. It's none of your business. Everyone has a right to do whatever they want on their own time without some d-bag "friend" criticizing them. As far as the narcissists go...well, they say it takes one to know one. You refer to yourself almost 20 times in your post. For someone who criticizes other people for not spending every waking moment doing "family things", I'm surprised that you have time to sit here on your computer and rant about your annoying FB friends. Maybe YOU fall under the "Get A Life" catagory.....
Friday 03 September
By tychoaonghus
I stated my opinion. Don't like it? Tough. I'm not perfect or 'better than anyone else.' Never claimed to be. It was an observation, plain and simple, and instead of bashing me for having my own opinion, state yours, and if I don't like it, TOUGH. Right? To me, spending HOUR upon HOUR playing games on FB is a waste, time is having its way with you. I refer more to the people that DO neglect other aspects of their lives (remember, I KNOW these people, and know that they DO neglect other aspects of their lives-if it's not their filthy houses, it's their misbehaving kids or their neglected marriages) so that said, perhaps my comment was judgmental, but I've also made another observation regarding the responses I'd gotten: A little touchy, aren't we?
And one message for you, Liberty, then I'm off: FO.
Friday 03 September
By frenchblue367
I guess nobody's entitled to an opinion but you. This is directed at you, Liberty, or sissy, or whatever you're calling yourself today, and to you little miss cheerleader. Nobody's saying you shouldn't play the games on FB. That's what they're there for. I believe what tychoaonghas is saying is that some people spend far too much time playing games and entertaining themselves with facebook when they do have other responsibilities that they're not fulfilling. LScott, you're just arrogant. It amazes me that people are so nasty, rude, obnoxious and defensive when a nerve is struck. Get civil, people.
Friday 03 September
By Valerie
I don't play any of the games on FB and I don't participate in any of the apps that are on there either. However, if people want to play these games let them, what is it to you? Just block the app so it doesn't show up on your home page, pretty simple. These people that have thousands of firends so to speak have them because they are playing those games together, not because they are friends or even know each other for that matter. Life is too short to worry about the stupid stuff.
Friday 03 September
By Liberty
HaHa! "FO"? My, my....apparently I'm not the touchy one. I find it
truly amusing when people attack others for expressing their opinion,
all while hiding behind their own right to have an opinion.....People
never cease to amaze me. However, I do agree with you that perhaps
some people spend too much time behind a computer, in front of a tv,
or at work. Maybe they are neglecting their homes or families. The
point is, that it's none of our business. It's not up to you or to me
to worry about the welfare of their homes and families. It's between
them alone. So who cares if people are staying up till the wee hours
playing games on Facebook and posting their nonsense on the feed. It's
their life. If you block it from the feed, you don't have to worry
about them or their filthy homes anymore. Then you will have more time
for living your own life instead of worrying about theirs.
Friday 03 September
By frenchblue367
Liberty: I have to respond to this, whether or not your comment is directed at me. You said that if someone spends too much time in front of the TV, in front of the computer, or 'working' then it's none of our business. So then why did you read this article? Just the idea that someone is a FaceBook 'narcissist' then that should be none of our business either, right? You are very hypocritical with this whole subject matter. You say in one sentence that someone has every right to spend as much time goofing off on the computer or whatever, but then you clicked on the article in the first place--about which someone's narcissistic behavior is STILL none of our business. I understand the point that was made by tychoaongus. It was an article that was meant to bring out people's opinions, possibly about a pet peeve. And that's just what was commented on, a FaceBook pet peeve, and you railed up one side of tychoaongus and down the other for having an opinion, and calling him/her a d-bag because s/he felt it was selfish of a person to spend so much time goofing off on FB when everything else in their FB 'friends' life was pretty much being ignored. It was aired as a pet peeve, and that's how I interpreted it. That you acknowledged the 'possibility' of people spending too much time with selfish pursuits simply makes me think you were just a tad paranoid about YOU being targeted. I wholly doubt if that was the case. And one more thing: Playing games on FB isn't a necessity that keeps one from their family. Work usually is.
Friday 03 September
By me2
AMEN
Friday 03 September
By cre8tvsol
lotta judgement going on there...I say just let people be who they are and allow them to express themselves. If their activity bothers you, you can always choose to ignore them or hide all their posts from your page.
Friday 03 September
By wowreally
You have got some serious problems young lady. I hope I never grow up to be as salty and angry as you make yourself out to be!
Friday 03 September
By wowreally
You have some serious problems young lady. I hope I don't turn all salty and angry like you when I grow up!
Thursday 09 September
By Carol
We live in a world now that is an utopia for narcissists. Look at all the reality shows about people doing nothing but spending money and arguing. You can post a video on youtube, make it go viral, and be an overnight sensation. We have social networking and the technology to make it constantly accessible. Oh and I think you forgot to put another blatant obvious sign. Narcissists usually have like 1000 facebook friends. They will accept friend requests from anyone and everyone. I get at least 2 requests per week from webcam whores and spammers but narcissists accept them! Also don't forget you have a lot of amatuer "artsy", "I'm looking down", type photos.
Thursday 07 October
By Stacy
Just wanted to reply to tychoaonghus: Well said. I haven't been with Facebook that long. I only joined to see some pictures a relative had sent me. I think it is a great idea for career networking, keeping in touch with family and friends. I was so surprised to see ALL that is put out there!! What are people thinking...or not. I am not perfect, I just, however, don't feel the need to tell everyone anything. They don't care, and I don't have the time. I can barely keep up with my own things, family, etc. I am also amazed at the self-importance and narcissitic attitudes this site fosters. Again, I'm not perfect...to each his own. But in keeping in touch with people, a couple of my friends and I agree that the people we talk to over the phone or e-mail, are the ones we WANT to keep in touch with. If there is someone that I don't phone or e-mail, then why FB with them? And don't forget that whatever photos, etc. you post belong to FB...unless that has changed.