Confabulations Hold Society together
Channel: Sam Vaknin
Date: 2013-04-25

Confabulations are an important part of life. They serve to heal emotional wounds or to prevent ones from being inflicted in the first place. They prop-up the confabulator's self-esteem, regulate his (or her) sense of self-worth, and buttress his (or her) self-image. They serve as organizing principles in social interactions.

Father's wartime heroism, mother's youthful good looks, one's oft-recounted exploits, erstwhile alleged brilliance, and past purported sexual irresistibility - are typical examples of white, fuzzy, heart-warming lies wrapped around a shriveled kernel of truth.

But the distinction between reality and fantasy is rarely completely lost. Deep inside, the healthy confabulator knows where facts end and wishful thinking takes over. Father acknowledges he was no war hero, though he did his share of fighting. Mother understands she was no ravishing beauty, though she may have been attractive. The confabulator realizes that his recounted exploits are overblown, his brilliance exaggerated, and his sexual irresistibility a myth.

Such distinctions never rise to the surface because everyone - the confabulator and his audience alike - have a common interest to maintain the confabulation. To challenge the integrity of the confabulator or the veracity of his confabulations is to threaten the very fabric of family and society. Human intercourse is built around such entertaining deviations from the truth.

For a more detailed view of pathological narcissism and the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) - click on these links:

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/npdglance.html

http://samvak.tripod.com/personalitydisorders12.html

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/personalitydisorders13.html

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/personalitydisorders14.html

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/narcissismglance.html

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/faq1.html

Other Personality Disorders

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/faqpd.html

Pathological Narcissism diagnosed with Other Mental Health Disorders

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/faq82.html

NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) and AsPD (Antisocial Personality Disorder, Psychopathy, or Sociopathy)

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/personalitydisorders16.html

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/personalitydisorders15.html

Cyber (Internet) Narcissists and Psychopaths

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/journal67.html