The Perils of Playing Nice with a Narcissist: Why Being Kind is Like Handing Them a Loaded Weapon
Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash Ah, niceness. The social lubricant that makes the world a more tolerable place. The thing our mamas drilled into us since we were old enough to string words together. “Be nice!” “Kill ’em with kindness!” “Treat others how you want to be treated!” And you know what? That’s solid advice — when you’re dealing with normal, emotionally functional human beings. But when it comes to narcissists? Honey, being nice to them is like tossing a live grenade into your own lap and hoping for a confetti explosion instead. If you aren’t yet a friend of Medium, you can read this article HERE. The Niceness Trap: Why We Think It’ll Work We good-hearted, empathetic folks believe in the power of kindness. We think that if we’re patient, understanding, and endlessly forgiving, we’ll eventually break through that ironclad wall of narcissistic dysfunction. We assume they’ll see our kindness, appreciate our unwavering support, and — brace yourself — c...