The Beautiful Enemy: America's Narcissism Epidemic

Epidemics like Covid, while an oddity to most of us in the U.S., have been a frequent affair in human history. They have traditionally been associated with viruses such as the Black Plague, HIV, and Ebola, but have recently incorporated addiction, like with Opioids. Now, our worst epidemic is not a biological virus or physical addiction, it is mental illness. Specifically plaguing our society in the U.S. right now, is a narcissism epidemic.

The Indigenous people of this land would probably not consider this virulent plague of human behavior to be something new, but flagrant levels of callous, self-centered grandiosity is increasingly evident in the rampant violence, racism, serial killings, mass shootings, and political and corporate corruption that has plagued our nation for decades. However, it has slowly moved from being an anomaly of the privileged or the lowest, like Richard Nixon or Charles Manson, to a commonplace phenomenon in everyone's family or life experience. It is a particularly treacherous affliction in the communities of people already subjected to tremendous systemic oppression, like African Americans, and the poor in general. For those with limited access to support and opportunities, mental illness and personality disorders can be lethal.

Through exploring a painful childhood history with narcissism, and the distinct variable of its presence in the Black community whose experience is rooted in the violent history of America, The Beautiful Enemy offers deeper understanding into the narcissism epidemic, particularly for those already oppressed under a profoundly narcissistic system. Finney explores how and why it developed, how to recognize the narcissists in your life, and most importantly, how to free yourself of this pernicious cultural toxin that is claiming the minds and hearts of so many.