Table of contents:
- What is the difference between a selfish person and a narcissist and a sociopath
- People who are stubborn and selfish still have self-control
Everyone has a different personality. Some are introverted and sociable, some are calm and serious or full of jokes, and some are nonchalant and compassionate. Selfishness is also one of the classic personality characteristics that exist in many people, regardless of whether they are extroverted or introverted.
The level of selfishness of each person can be different from one another. Some people are just pure stubbornness, but there are some people who are so manipulative that they tend to fall into the category of extreme personality disorders - such as narcissism or even sociopathy.
What is the difference between a selfish person and a narcissist and a sociopath
To better understand the differences between the three, it is necessary to first understand that the concept of narcissism here is not a group of people who always upload selfies on their various social media accounts. In the world of modern psychology, someone who has a narcissistic personality disorder is a person who has a big ego, with pride and a sense of selfishness that are equally great. These narcissists yearn to be constantly admired by others.
The sociopath has a similar nature - he thinks of himself as the best, everything, the center of the world. Both tend to blame others for their own mistakes, or are good at persuading others to believe in them and / or offer "alternative facts" which he arranges in such a way that they appear real. Neither narcissists nor sociopaths have a sense of empathy, aka caring and compassion for others.
According to Psychology Today, the nature of empathy is an important measure of whether someone is really just pure stubbornness, or does have real personality disorders. If, for example, you are confronted with a situation that gives rise to your selfishness, then you are able to show remorse, and may be genuinely determined to change these bad behaviors and habits in the future, then you are likely someone who is purely stubborn or selfish.
Selfish people can still feel empathy. While people with personality disorders such as sociopathy or narcissism are not. What is, they may explode with anger when their character is criticized, or they may fake that empathy in order to get a plus from society. They may show remorse, compassion, or generosity, but are unwilling or failing to make a real change in their attitude.
People who are stubborn and selfish still have self-control
Another indicator that can measure how selfish you are is by assessing how well you control yourself. Research shows that selfish people have less self-control because they won't even consider their personal feelings in the future. As such, they are less able to delay their gratification and wait for better rewards later than those presented to them today. In essence, what they want, must be there now.
Although sociopaths and narcissists share similar characteristics, they do not think that social laws and rules apply to them because they consider themselves "special" and superior to others. People with this personality disorder are very arrogant, have no affection. They do not care about the safety of others, ignore the needs or feelings of others. Above all, narcissism and sociopathy are often characterized by minimal shame and remorse.
Therefore, they tend to treat others harshly or with indifference. They typically engage in aggressive, impulsive, irresponsible or risky behavior, and tend to put others in danger for their own benefit, often for temporary enjoyment. Whereas people who are stubborn will have moral limits; they know what's wrong and right, only are slightly blinded by the lure of quicker rewards - and may display regret and shame for his arbitrary actions.
