Nefarious Reflections : On Narcissism and Crime

The world has long been fascinated with narcissism; a personality style associated with a sense of superiority, condescension, and exploitation. This book examines this psychological concept within America's history of expansionism and ruthlessness toward various 'undesirables', spanning social and personality psychology, criminology, and more.

For several decades, psychiatrists, social critics, and writers of other stripes have warned us about the havoc that narcissists wreak in our everyday lives. In this book, social scientist Mark S. Davis maintains that narcissism is much more than individual pathology; indeed, it is a virus that also infects organizations and entire societies. Examining America's history, this book broadens the discussion of narcissism beyond a troubling personality style. It delves into how superiority, exploitation, retaliation, and a lack of empathy contribute to contemporary issues such as race relations, immigration, and the marginalization of those deemed “deviant” or different. By examining the tragic interplay between narcissism and history, this volume offers solutions to answer the question:Can anyone in modern society, informed by its past, devise a treatment plan for a nation's personality disorder?