Egolatry: 12 Traits And Attitudes Of Egomaniacal People
The concept of egotism It is used to refer to various traits and attitudes that certain people present.
The term egolatry comes from the Greek “ego” (I) and “latría” (worship, admiration), and has implications in the world of psychology, since indicates a certain personality type
The Royal Spanish Academy defines egomania as the “worship, adoration or excessive love of oneself.”
Egolatry is, therefore, a characteristic of the personality of some individuals, in which they constantly display a confidence in their own potential falling into self-admiration and self-worship, to the point where this exaggerated perception can be pathological and cause problems in social interactions.
What are egomaniacal people like?
Individuals who have egomaniacal traits and characteristics usually generate rejection among the people around them. Furthermore, the egomaniacal personality has been present in many historical figures.
For example, biographies and historiographic documents show us that Adolf Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte, Genghis Khan and Josif Stalin were historical figures with a markedly egotistical character. Currently, perhaps the most popular reference is the magnate and current president of the United States, Donald Trump.
In this sense, egomania is usually related to other concepts, such as egocentrism, narcissism, arrogance, excessive self-esteem, false self-confidence or megalomania.
Although there are aspects in which these concepts coincide, there are also some important differences and nuances. In any case, it should be taken into account that egomania refers to a subjective perception of the individual, to how he or she perceives his or her worth, in this case in an exaggeratedly positive way. However, egomania tells us little about the translation of this perception to interpersonal relationships That is to say: an egomaniacal person can be one and yet the people around him may not perceive him as especially vain or arrogant.
When this characteristic is compensated
Reading the meaning of the word egomania, we may think that it is a characteristic that produces rejection. However, in certain cases being an egomaniac is very practical. For example, when one’s own well-being depends on attracting attention.
This is the case of many famous people, who they naturally express their ideas of grandiosity through what they do, say and appear to be; This makes them receive the attention of the cameras and continue to earn more thanks to it.
12 traits and attitudes in common
However, Yes, it is common for egomaniacal people to tend to externalize this trait through certain attitudes and behaviors that may be rejectable by other individuals.
Some of these attitudes, behaviors and traits are described below:
Causes and motivations of this type of individuals
From a psychological point of view, there are many factors and motivations that can lead a person to develop this characteristic. Egolatry is a trait associated with certain affective and emotional deficiencies since it is usually understood from psychology that a person with balanced emotional intelligence does not need to perceive themselves as something they are not.
In this sense, egomania could be a warning sign for people who, paradoxically, suffer from affective or emotional deficiencies or even suffer from some underlying mental disorder. Egolatry would be, in somewhat metaphorical terms, a flight forward of people who camouflage their insecurity in this type of hyperbolic thoughts and beliefs about their abilities and potentialities in life.
From the social point of view, Egolatry is understood as the reflection or consequence of a commercialized and classist society in the personality of some individuals The differences between social classes and their lifestyle could generate constant competition between individuals to rise in status, which would be a perfect breeding ground for individualism, careerism, the undervaluation of certain moral principles, and also the egomania as a personality characteristic adapted to this competitive environment and in which appearances prevail over other qualities. Thus, the desire for success in life can be a starting point that, poorly managed, can lead to developing problematic and limiting personalities and attitudes.
Egomaniacal people may be capable of carrying out large-scale projects and companies but at the same time they may have difficulties establishing deep relationships with other people.
Egolatry and the education received
Nevertheless, Egomania is not a trait exclusively focused on obtaining money or power, but can have diverse motivations The egomaniacal personality style can have several causes, including the type of education and parenting style that the individual has received.
A parenting style that is too permissive and complacent with the child can lead to problems such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), also known as emperor syndrome, in which the child challenges the authority of the parents and acts capriciously to achieve everything. What does he want. This type of education received could lead to a self-centered personality during adulthood.
Recapitulating: social relationships and difficulties
Egolatry can be a trait that causes serious difficulties in interpersonal relationships since the individual may present various behaviors and attitudes that generate rejection in other people.
However, in certain contexts personalities characterized by egomania can be socially rewarded; For example, in the case of famous people who are always looking for new ways to reinvent themselves and stand out; This would help them keep their cache high and continue receiving income and power of influence.
On the other hand, when a person considers himself superior and more valuable than others, he usually perceives other people as unimportant, useless and expendable. This generates a feeling of rejection in their environment of friends and acquaintances, because few people are willing to tolerate being treated with contempt.
It is important to highlight that, although it may be complicated, Ideally, egomaniacal people can receive professional advice to try to restructure their perception of themselves a fact that will have a positive impact on your mental health and the quality and quantity of your personal relationships, allowing you to enjoy a much fuller and happier life.
