Posted by Jan den Breejen (213.75.42.153) on October 27, 2002 at 11:51:34:
When we look to the story of life of Joan Crawford, its easy to see why some people think the narcissistic personality and the anti social personality are very related character styles.
Joan learned that in the movie world she could get respect and leave her life of poverty and chaos behind her. In this new world succes went with people who were best in emulating emotions and mimicking behavior. She had sex with every movie boss, to make them her allies. She made them feel that movies were more important to her than men. She adopted children at the moment when it was important to her public image. Someone who knew her well said; 'She had a constant need of approval, a constant need of admiration and a constant need to be the center of atttention' Hollywood is a dream factory, and Mrs. Crawford was a a 'dream factory woman', In the book 'Mommie Dearest' written by her daughter Christina, it can be read that the children were more or less bought to let her play the role of mother, it shows us her total lack of ability of empathic feeling and intimacy; and even more her 'make belief' behavior which seems to have become the default of behavior. During Christmas she let presents be brought to her children, the happiness of the mother-children 'quality time' be recorded; only for the presents be taken away (!) when the camera's had gone. Crawford was the darling of the public, but with her 'friends' and family she had lost all credibility.
I've noticed that narcissistic woman SEEM to be in love with their partners, hugging and touching, but if you put it under the looking glass its really a image excercise at the party. Sometimes it seems they believe in it themselves; and I am sure some of them do.
Assessment: Oldham's Self Confident Style, enneatype E3.
Jan