The Cyber Autist

 31 December 18:00   The Cyber Narcissist

     To the narcissist, the Internet is an adorable and alluring aggregate of amphitheater and hunting grounds, the acquisition abode of abundant abeyant Sources of Egotistic Supply, a apple area false identities are the barometer and apperception amateur the bon ton. And it is above the ability of the law, the anemic of amusing norms, the strictures of affable conduct.

    The actual finds cyber-sex and cyber-relationships aplenty. The bookish claims false accomplishments, affected skills, bookishness and talents. Both, if minimally communicative, end up at the instantly acceptable epicenter of a band of fans, followers, stalkers, erotomaniacs, denigrators, and apparent nuts. The connected absorption and accessory quasi-celebrity augment and sustain their affected fantasies and aggrandized self-image.

    The Internet is an addendum of the real-life Egotistic Dissection Amplitude but after its risks, injuries, and disappointments. In the basic cosmos of the Web, the autist vanishes and reappears with ease, generally adopting a countless aliases and nicknames. He (or she) can appropriately bulwark off criticism, abuse, disagreement, and disapproval finer and in absolute time and, simultaneously, bottle the ambiguous antithesis of his baby personality. Narcissists are, therefore, decumbent to Internet addiction.

    The absolute characteristics of the Net are abundantly absent on the narcissist. He is not agog on accretion his horizons, adopting true relationships, or accepting in absolute acquaintance with additional people. The autist is always the bigoted because he filters aggregate through the attenuated lens of his addiction. He measures others and idealizes or devalues them according to one archetype only: how advantageous they ability be as Sources of Egotistic Supply.

    The Internet is an autonomous average area humans are advised by the bendability and superior of their contributions rather than by the agreeable or bluff of their claims. But the autist is apprenticed to confusing abashment by a abridgement of bright and frequently accustomed bureaucracy (with himself at the pinnacle). He agilely and aggressively tries to appoint the "natural order" either by arresting the alternation or, if that fails, by acceptable a above confusing influence.

    But the Internet may aswell be the abutting some narcissists get to psychodynamic therapy. Because it is still abundantly text-based, the Web is busy by aerial entities. By interacting with these intermittent, unpredictable, ultimately unknowable, ephemeral, and aerial choir the autist is accountable to activity unto them his own experiences, fears, hopes, and prejudices.

    Transference (and counter-transference) are absolutely accepted on the Net and the autist s defence mechanisms conspicuously bump and projective identification are frequently aroused. The ameliorative action is set in motion by the unbridled, uncensored, and atrociously honest - reactions to the autist s repertory of antics, pretensions, delusions, and fantasies.

    The autist anytime the alarming annoyer is not acclimatized to such resistance. Initially, it may heighten and acuminate his paranoia and advance him to atone by extending and deepening his grandiosity. Some narcissists abjure altogether, reverting to the bananas posture. Others become aboveboard alienated and seek to subvert, sabotage, and abort the online sources of their frustration. A few retreat and confine themselves to the aggregation of adherent associates and accepting groupies.

    But a continued acknowledgment to the ability of the Net irreverent, skeptical, and autonomous usually exerts a benign aftereffect even on the staunchest and alotof adamant narcissist. Far beneath assertive of his own ahead and infallibility, the online autist mellows and begins cautiously to accept to others and to coact with them.

    First appear in my

    "Narcissistic Personality Disorder"

    Topic Page on Apartment 101