Narcissism and sociopathy share traits, including  a lack of empathy. Narcissism allows the person to detach from concern for others and allows them to focus solely on their own desires and needs.  People with these disorders are usually experts at manipulation, denial, and callous disregard for the consequences resulting from their choices and behavior.

Trademarks of Narcissistic Personality Disorder are:

1. inflated self-importance
2. deflation of importance of others
3. lack of empathy for others
4. a sense of entitlement
5. interpersonally exploitative*

As a society, we have behaved in similar fashion in our treatment of animals. Every imaginable excuse, justification and denial have already been expressed; they all represent a horrendous injustice.

Animal Abolitionists

Abolitionists have noted the historical abuse and disregard for animal lives and have come to the conclusion that no amount of welfare legislation will ever release animals from lives of torment. There are more incidences of abuse, more animals being slaughtered, more habitat being taken than ever before, despite a plethora of legislation. Often called “single issue campaigns,” these individual actions that aim to protect a specified animal group (baby seals, circus elephants) are very good at reaching people emotionally and gaining donations, but very ineffective in making any impact on the disrespect with which all animals are treated.  They appeal to the public with heart-wrenching or heart-warming stories and photos, often despite the organization doing little or nothing for the animals profiled.

Animals continue to be commodified and marketed as if they were inanimate objects; indeed in factory farming they are rendered as inanimate as possible.  Their pesky biological needs are met with antibiotics and others tricks to mask their most basic needs.  Their diets are inappropriate and cause them great discomfort and poor digestion, but the corn they are fed is highly subsidized by the U.S. government, regardless of the consequences for the living, feeling beings. Until we seek to overcome our cultural narcissism and consider how our choices impact the lives of other animals, other humans, and other people, we will be disconnected from one another.  And without getting reconnected to the natural world, we stand a very good chance of destroying the whole thing.

The toll of narcissism on others is extreme.  Cultural narcissism takes a toll much like that of an individual person’s narcissism, but multiplied throughout the culture.  Human cultural narcissism looks only at how the world works for their own kind, however narrow that may be defined. To all other forms of life, there is no concern, no empathy, no responsibility. It is a callous and ultimately destructive way to live.

*DSM-IV, Narcissistic Personality Disorder