When you learn about narcissism, one thing usually strikes most people. And that is there’s many about!

When I started reading about narcissism, my mind drifted through time and space. I realised that certain people from my past must have been suffering with narcissism. I also realised that a few in my present life probably did too.

Many people at work in high positions, historically showed narcissistic traits. Politicians, musicians, actors. It seemed like they were everywhere!

Then you hear about certain groups, such as the Illuminati, and David Icke’s “Lizard People”. And how these groups are controlling the world. It’s easy to suspect that something’s going on.

Is it a global conspiracy? Is the world being run by narcissists?

In this article I’ll discuss my thoughts on whether the world is run by narcissists. I’d love you to share your thoughts in the comments at the end. Because I feel it’s an area that needs discussion.

First, lets look at how many narcissists are out there in the general population…

Please Check Out This Short Video To Aid Your Understanding…

Demographics

I remember in my mid teens me and some friends got into bother with some local lads. And they were driving around in a red Astra (a popular car in the UK at the time) looking for us. For a while, every time I left the house, I saw red Astra’s wherever I went. Sometimes even when they weren’t there!

Obviously that’s because I’d been heightened to it. So I was now noticing them. If I hadn’t have had that bother, then they would have been invisible to me. Could the same thing be happening with narcissists? Could it be that my mind is creating them?

Possibly. But there’s also another side. Had I not read up on narcissism, then I wouldn’t have noticed them at all. Not in terms of the label “narcissist” any way. So I wouldn’t have seen what was there.

I did notice how difficult certain people were. How bossy they were. And how blissfully unaware they were that I don’t want to hear a 30 minute monologue about their weekend! But the term “narcissist” wasn’t in my mind at that time.

I hear that around 1% of the population is diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder (I’ll shorten it to NPD from now on). And whilst that doesn’t sound much, it adds up to about 70 million people when you consider the world’s population is around 7 billion. And that’s only people that are diagnosed.

Some studies suggest that as much as 6% of the population actually have NPD –https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2669224/. But many aren’t diagnosed. That would make a whopping 420 million globally if it’s true. And I feel it IS true for these reasons…

Most narcissists aren’t diagnosed. Most narcissists go undiagnosed for a couple of reasons…

First it’s because there’s still not much awareness of NPD. Even amongst the medical profession. NPD is a relatively new and developing area of study. And unless they specialise in this area, most medical professionals have a rudimentary knowledge of narcissism at best.

Also narcissists, by their nature, don’t feel there’s anything wrong with them. They feel perfect the way they are thank you very much. And they certainly don’t need anyone telling them they have a fault. So few actually seek diagnosis. And if they’re high functioning and keep out of prison, then they’re likely to continue their lives away from the medical spotlight.

So I believe there’s a lot more people with NPD than the figures suggest. And I personally feel that 6% is close to the mark. What do you think? If this is the case, then a place of work with 50 employees would on average have 3 people with NPD working there.

Now comes the question of whether narcissists run the world. And what better place to start than in politics…

Politics

I would love to see a study on narcissism and politicians. Because I’m willing to bet there’s a higher percentage of politicians with NPD than in the general population. If you think about it, being a politician is almost perfect for a high functioning narcissist.

Politicians must maintain a public façade that is highly capable, charismatic, and NEVER wrong. Check! Politicians must also love the spotlight and the sound of their own voice. Check! And they must have the confidence that they’re special enough to lead millions. Bingo! Most narcissists lead their lives like this anyway, so they might as well get paid for it!

We’ll never know how much narcissists influence government policies around the world. Or how many are in political jobs. Because few if any politicians would agree to be publicly tested. But I can imagine it’s pretty significant. What do you think?

Leadership

Everywhere I’ve ever worked, there’s been at least one or two narcissists in leadership positions. And it’s not really surprising.

Narcissists are attracted to leadership like moths to a flame. Narcissists believe that they’re superior and deserving of the top jobs. Plus they like telling people what to do. They WANT power over people.

Being a leader helps support their delusions of grandiosity. And gives them the power they crave. So they have extra incentive to go for leadership positions in the work place.

Whilst I can only guess, I would imagine that there’s a lot of narcissists in leadership roles. And I’ve certainly experienced many on my working life. Have you experienced narcissist leaders in your work?

Authority Jobs

Narcissists are drawn to many other authoritarian and high profile jobs. Such as police, medicine and the clergy. Traditionally the people in these roles were held in high esteem, and were practically untouchable. Even today there’s work to be done.

In the UK, Dr Harold Shipman was able to get away with at least 215 murders before he was finally caught. And there have been numerous reports of members of the clergy getting away with sexual crimes for years. And the levels of police brutality are only just being discovered now that most people carry a camera phone.

Narcissists know that in these positions they are revered and put on a pedestal. They can tell people what to do. And even today it’s difficult for people to believe they’ve behaved wrongly.

In The Spot Light

Overt narcissists love being in the spot light. In fact many can’t stand being out of it. Narcissists need almost constant admiration, which is why many choose careers in acting, music or other entertainment positions.

A successful actor must WANT the spotlight, and be happy to be watched by large crowds of people. Narcissists fit the bill perfectly. And they must also be able to pretend to be someone they’re not. Again perfect!

I’d wager there’s many narcissists in highly influential jobs. Whether that’s police, politics or bosses at work. For one there are a lot of narcissists about. And secondly they’re attracted to power and influence. So it’s likely that they’re over represented. But I don’t feel their influence is out of control…

Checks And Balances

Whilst it’s likely there’s many narcissists in high profile, high authority, and leadership positions, there are checks and balances in place.

For instance, take the case of Donald Trump. Whilst I’m not qualified to diagnose him, Trump displays many narcissistic traits in his public persona. And studies have suggested he scores high in narcissism – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886917305688 But even as the President of the United States, he couldn’t just do what he wanted. (Although he gave it a damn good go!) I don’t follow US politics closely, but I believe the Senate blocked him many times from getting his way. And then there’s the impeachments too.

Politicians are also at the mercy of voters. And they must tread carefully if they want to remain in office. Yes they spin lies. And corruption does go on. But they can only push things so far if they don’t want to get caught.

Narcissists ARE In The Minority

Although there are many narcissists about, the majority of the population are not narcissists. And have healthy levels of empathy. So there are plenty of people available to hold them to account. But is this done effectively enough?

In the work place, there’s a growing trend of objective interviews for new applicants. Where points are scored for each criterion. This is to reduce bias when leaders employ new staff. Whilst it may not be perfect, it’s there.

There are also complaints procedures for if a narcissist boss treats their workers unfairly. Again these checks may not be perfect, but they are available. And certainly improved from 100 years ago.

It’s likely that there are many narcissists running the show. But there are also many people around who are not narcissists. And there are checks and balances to clip their wings. But do these checks and balances go far enough?

Recent Study

A recent study suggests that grandiose narcissists don’t make good leaders – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7427600/ It suggests that their “overconfidence, impulsivity, and a willingness to ignore expert advice results in a a higher likelihood of making a bad decision.”

It also goes on to say that “after getting the wrong answer, grandiose narcissists are more likely to blame others and remain self-confident in their judgement.” Sound familiar?!

It seems to me that narcissists are good at gaining leadership positions. And good at making it appear they’re good leaders. But not good at actually leading. Although sometimes their aggressive risk-taking pays dividends. But not always! What do you think?

Final Thoughts

There’s no doubt that narcissists hold many positions of power and influence in the world we live in. And they’re probably over represented because of their thirst for power and status. But all is not lost. Empathetic people still hold them to account. At least to some degree.

If you take a microscope and zoom inside a healthy human body, you’ll see conflict. Antibodies and white blood cells killing viruses and bacteria. “Good” bacteria killing viruses. And even “good” viruses killing bacteria. When we zoom back out, it’s clear that this conflict keeps us healthy. Conflict at a lower level can create harmony at another.

Could it be that we need the conflict of narcissists for harmony at a higher level? Perhaps we need some of their ruthless and selfish drives to push us forwards?

Some narcissism is necessary for an individual to survive and thrive. If you didn’t provide for yourself, then you wouldn’t live long. Perhaps the same is true for a collective?

We don’t want narcissists to have too much power. And at times I feel the power balance is tipping in their favour. And there seems to be a growing trend in glorifying narcissism. Hopefully this is just a passing phase.

Narcissists have a big influence over how the world is run. How big is probably impossible to say. But thankfully it’s not total. I personally don’t feel there’s an organised global conspiracy of narcissists, taking over the world. But due to their numbers and their lust for power, they have a very real influence.

It’s up to non narcissists to keep them in check. And not allow too many narcissistic policies and decisions ruin the world we live in. Please share this article and any others on this site you feel might help spread the word. The more people who learn about narcissists and their tactics, the less power they hold.

Please CLICK HERE For The Signs Your Boss Is A Narcissist

10 Signs Your Boss Is A Narcissist