Is My Cat Autistic (Insensitive) or Narcissistic (Pathologically Hypersensitive)?
Pathological narcissists and malignant ones, in particular, rarely admit to being narcissistic. Why? Any pejorative label will likely be perceived as a deep insult and can traumatically injure their egos.
I share this tongue-in-cheek article for neurotic feline aficionados everywhere. I penned it a few years ago following a conversation with Temple Grandin.
Autistics and narcissists among the humankind have much in common regarding their relative lack of empathy. Both these neurotic and neurodiverse individuals can sympathize, but I offer that they both have difficulty sympathizing or empathizing. Narcissists are hypersensitive and autistics are insensitive (by definition).
“Narcissism” is not necessarily a pejorative descriptor, it is simply a style of relating. While sentient animals can be altruistic, they are also inherently narcissistic. Your dog, for example, is a narcissist. He or she lives for your undivided attention. Challenging this notion may inform you about how “narcissistic” and/ or “codependent” you may be?!
Disclaimer: While I currently serve in an executive leadership position for a behavioral health advocacy nonprofit referral organization, I’m not a licensed clinician or forensic social scientist. Rather, I am an evolutionary psychologist and biologist. My personal interactions with individuals on various neurodiverse and psychodiverse spectra have been fascinating.
I myself, was once thought to be on the autism spectrum. Undoubtedly, I have a ‘healthy plus’ amount of narcissism. Look at how well I promote myself below…
thedodo.com/i-think-my-cat-has-autism
jordanschaul.com | Animal Trainer Dude™️ | Schaul PR ©2018
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