The pathological narcissist as "evil"

Otto Kernberger's  (The Narcissistic Personality" Borderline Conditions and Pathological Narcissism. New York: Jason Aronson. 1975)  definition of pathological narcissism is
      The principal characteristics of these narcissistic personalities are a grandiosity, extreme egocentricity, a total lack of empathy for others, although they crave admiration and approval. These patients feel intense envy of those who seem to possess things they don't have or who simply find pleasure in living. Not only do they lack deep affective feelings and are incapable of understanding other's complex emotions, but their own emotions are mono-dimensional and flare up only to rapidly die out. In particular, they don't suffer true feelings of sadness, loss, and mourning; this inability to experience depressive reactions is a basic element of their personality. If they are abandoned or disappointed, they can seem depressed, but upon examination it's more a question of anger or resentment combined with a desire for revenge than deep sadness for the loss of a person they valued.

 " The soulless narcissist will try to attach himself to the other, and leechlike, try to inhale her life's blood. Because he is incapable of a true relationship, he can only do it in a framework of evil destruction. Abusive human beings unquestionably experience extreme and fundamental delight in the doubts and suffering of other; they also take pleasure in subjugating and humiliating them"  Stalking the soul. Emotional abuse and the erosion of identity, pg. 126 Marie France Hirigoyen.

" I have seen cases in which an individual made an evil choice for no apparent reason other than the pure desire to exercise the freedom of his or her will. It is as such people say to themselves [ I know what is going to be the right action in this situation, but I am damned if I am going to be bound by the notions of morality or my own conscience. Were I to do the good thing, it would be because it is good. But, if I do the bad thing it will be solely because I want to. Therefore I will do the bad, because it is my freedom to do so.] " People of the Lie. The Hope for Healing Human Evil, pg 82 M. Scott Peck M.D.

Pathological narcissists are  evil. When faced with the choice of what is right and what is wrong, they will choose the latter simply for the fact that they can. What they can't have, they seek to destroy. The ability to manipulate, humiliate, or subjugate  makes them feel all the more powerful and since all they feel is nothingness, feeling powerful is certainly better than nothingness. The argument may be made but, in the beginning he was sweet, kind, charming, romantic....but, the truth is it was always part of the ruse, it was all part of the seduction to lure his victim. The narcissist cannot sustain this act.

Narcissists know the difference between good and evil and evil will not win anyone over, so his chameleon like ability enables him to change for the individual set of circumstances at hand. He needs to extract narcissistic  supply, he needs for his victim to believe he is everything she needs. Evil will not deliver on that so for now he will make the victim believe he is good, too good to be true and that's exactly what he is.  What is even more alarming is that he probably has someone else that he is devaluing and getting ready to discard during the whole new quest.  He will keep that " puppet on a string" until he has secured the new source of narcissistic supply. How is that for evil?  He knows what he is doing is immoral and hurtful but, it makes him feel good about his empty self so does it all the same. Without empathy or conscience, he doesn't care in the least what it feels like to be the victim of his malevolence. Even worse still is that devalued victim who has been placed "on hold" and maintained with routine phone calls  and false  words of admiration, known as intermittent reinforcement (see, I still care about you, I call you every day) is now left emotionally battered, financially drained and suffering from his years of  narcissistic abuse. .  She is more than likely depressed from having all the narcissist's  problems "projected" on to her. He has dumped all his negative feelings on her so that he feels good enough about himself  to be able to prey on a  new(fresh)  unsuspecting victim. Surely, if he felt like the true piece of garbage he is, he wouldn't have the where with all to achieve the recruitment of a new victim. The victim that is being discard has been coerced by the narcissist into believing she is the crazy one, everything is her fault, she is nothing without him and that she is worthless. This all makes him feel pretty damn good about himself. See how powerful I am? With all this in mind the victim stays tied to her abuser, even loyal to him. She doesn't see the abuse for what it really is and the fact that the Narcissist is evil, purely for his own gratification. The victim doesn't see, nor believe she exists solely for his delight and entertainment. She keeps the idealized remembrance of the relationship and keeps hoping for that to return, not wanting to believe it was all just an act.  The beginning of the relationship was quite delightful for the both of them. He was his "false self", hiding his true face of evil. The more she adored him, the better he felt about himself and the happier he became. Narcissists live through the reflection they see of themselves from the victim,  the counterpart is nothing more than a mirror for him to behold himself.. It was uplifting for both of them, only the victim is not aware of the downward spiral that will come.  Somewhere the relationship takes a turn, perhaps the lies aren't making sense anymore to the victim,  or she is tired of the fact he won't look for gainful employment while he sucks her dry of all her finances. Maybe, he has even found someone with more money, or someone already in a committed relationship-he has hit pay dirt. What could be better than to be able to woo someone's wife or girlfriend away and not have to really have an intimate, monogamous relationship, especially if the man is everything he is not; successful, financially secure, a respectable family man. He will be everything the woman needs and her significant other isn't only she doesn't know it is all just an act, the Narcissists "false self", everything he wished he could be and everything he has emulated from all his previous victims.  He can have his cake and eat it too. He has found a new victim that he doesn't need to commit to and  he has someone else waiting in his web of lies and deception ( or a few others), none knowing about the existence of the others.  He is exorbitant and feels   that good does not triumph over evil. As evil as he is, he can have whatever he wants. Nice guys surely do finish last. What suckers!

 I once asked the Narcissist after one of his  conquests  "does it make you feel good to be with some other guys woman?  does it mean more to you,  the more successful the man is? do you put in a notch in your belt every time you do something like this"? he laughed that stupid, nervous laugh he does when he is caught lying or doing something else awful "yeah, huh huh....I don't get it,  this woman's boyfriend is a pilot, they are down here on vacation, he is out fishing and  I still have this morning's breakfast on my shirt, I haven't brushed my teeth yet and she comes up to me, what could I do? I  eat tomatoes and tuna from a can for dinner, this man could buy her whatever she wants and she wants me." Can you see the distinction? He knows full well this is someone else's significant other, he does what he wants because it feels good for him and if he can maintain a long distance relationship and exploit something in addition from her, like gifts, money, or a plane ticket to meet him somewhere, that is even better(as long as its not his home town) .The other man is everything he wish he could be and the only way for him to deal with that is to destroy it. The Narcissist has now equaled the playing field. You can have all you want but, at the end of the day, your woman wants me.  This is his coping mechanism for envy and jealousy. It's all about his free will, not about right or wrong, or the woman that loves him,  who has no idea all this is even going on. Pathological narcissists  are truly evil. They lack a moral compass, they lack internal conflict resolution, they lack a conscience and empathy. Narcissists do not care the price anyone else has to pay for his free will , as long as the narcissist gets what they want, when they want it,  for their  immediate gratification. This behavior is humiliating to his significant other and when she turns a blind eye, or accepts him back afterwards, he has now subjugated her. He has shown her no matter what I do, however it makes you feel, you are powerless to leave me, for the  soulless narcissist it is a win/win  The malignant narcissist is the epitome of evil.