Can narcissists learn from Others?

Proverbs 11:14

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety.  

Can narcissists learn from others?  Psychology Today tells us no way, this is a quote from them; “I know best” and “It’s all about me, suggest narcissistic non-listening.”  They go on to say when talking or listening to a Narcissist talk when someone gives an opinion it’s one-sided listening; they do not see others as having value.  So when we discuss issues, my views are right.  Yours are wrong or else of minimal importance, that is the way a narcissist thinks. 

So that brings me to what if you work for such a person, what if you married such a person, and what if the leadership of your country is a narcissist?  Proverbs 11:14, is very direct and clearly states, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.  Now a narcissist could never follow the counsel of Proverbs 12:15, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.”  Listen to Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers, they succeed.” 

The subject matter of listening to many counselors has made my mind or ability to reason go almost to tilt!  Let me clarify “tilt” for those who never played pinball machines, if you hit the machine too hard it would go to tilt, and your game was over, you had to begin again.

As I began to think about the society you and I live in, it made me wonder are we little narcissists in our thinking when it comes to those outside of our social, economic, and belief system?  The first of many questions in my mind is, are we open to others, to listen to them?  If not, we are like the narcissists when someone gives an opinion it is one-sided listening; we do not see others of a different view as having value.  As I said it is happening on both sides, and all we have is a division.  Does knowing you are right change anything, the answer is no, and yet knowing something is wrong and going along to get along is also not good.

Division and hate are from the enemy of all of us, he plays both sides and brings about hate and fear, and that causes distrust and division.  This is what Jesus has to say about him, first Jesus calls the devil or Satan a thief, we find it in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Would you agree with me the old serpent, or devil, or thief has been very good at his job?

Could it be we need to learn how to value others, listen, engage in conversation, and remind them that a discussion is like negotiating, unless both parties come with that as the goal, it will not take place.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice