NARCISSISM AND EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS HISTORY
From the essay
Narcissism is usually described as a flaw: excessive self-love, grandiosity, craving for admiration. Yet history reveals that narcissism often accompanies greatness. The same self-belief that alienates others can also fuel military conquest, artistic revolutions, political reform, or technological innovation. At its best, narcissism amplifies genius into cultural progress. At its worst, it magnifies delusion into catastrophe.
Adapted from PDF pages 1.