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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Surrounded by Narcissists summary
Thomas Erikson
How to Effectively Recognize, Avoid, and Defend Yourself Against Toxic People (and Not Lose Your Mind)
21 mins
Brief summary
Surrounded by Narcissists by Thomas Erikson is a book that helps us understand narcissistic people. It explains how to recognize them, communicate with them, and set boundaries to prevent them from infringing upon our personal space.
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Surrounded by Narcissists
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Key idea 1 of 6
You probably know quite a few narcissists.
When you hear the word “narcissist,” what qualities come to mind? Vanity, perhaps? Self-obsession?
As you may know, the term comes from a Greek myth about a handsome young man. Narcissus was so beautiful that everyone who saw him fell in love with him. But no one loved Narcissus more than he loved himself.
In one version of the myth, Narcissus sits by a pond, gazing lovingly at his own reflection. He’s so obsessed that he stays there until he starves to death.
So yes, self-obsession is part of it. But narcissism is a complicated personality disorder. There’s more to it than just liking yourself a bit too much.
Also, in real life, the victims of narcissists are usually other people.
Thomas Erikson, the author of Surrounded by Narcissists, wants to help us to avoid becoming victims.
First, he says, we need to know how to recognize narcissists. The ones you encounter won’t be handsome young men staring at their reflection in a pond.
Instead, it might be a coworker who’s quick to criticize others – but blows up if you offer them honest feedback.
Or it could be the friend who only wants to talk about themselves.
It may even be your partner or someone in your family. Perhaps you’ve noticed that this person can be deceitful – even manipulative – at times.
Think about it for a moment. Do you know someone who behaves like that? Thought so.
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What is Surrounded by Narcissists about?
Surrounded By Narcissists (2022) is a guide to recognizing narcissists and understanding how they operate. Erikson suggests simple, effective methods for dealing with any narcissists you know, whether it’s your partner, a relative, someone you work with, or possibly all three – you may be surrounded.
Who should read Surrounded by Narcissists?
- Victims of narcissists
- Empaths who are worried about being manipulated
- Anyone who’s interested in psychology or personality types
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