From Peter Standen
Emma Young asks whether some degree of narcissism is essential for success or health (9 July, p 27). In Greek mythology, Narcissus so loved himself that he fell in love with his own reflection, not even realising what it was. This seems a form of madness.
Healthy self-regard is a quite different phenomenon: to call it “moderate narcissism” is misleading. It is anchored in genuine experience, not a self-image. Learning to distinguish genuine from false self-esteem is critical, and not easy. We mainly learn from Narcissus what not to do. Advising people to become more selfish, entitled or envious is an unnecessarily negative approach to what should be positive experiences.
Darlington, Western Australia
