Sadistic superego

Truth too late wrote: He has written a fake degree is an example of what an N would do. He clearly would acknowledge that if he were guilty of it.

He actually has, in "I,psychopath" if I remember correctly. I feel like re-watching the whole thing, now. Thank you, cause last time was about 5 years ago.

Truth too late wrote:Why does it bother you someone pointed that out?

What make you think that? Totally enjoying the conversation... Great posts in this thread.

Après L Orage wrote:

Truth too late wrote: He has written a fake degree is an example of what an N would do. He clearly would acknowledge that if he were guilty of it.

He actually has, in "I,psychopath" if I remember correctly. I feel like re-watching the whole thing, now. Thank you, cause last time was about 5 years ago.

Is it possible he had a fake degree and earned a real one? The two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

What concerned me is that you said his apparently legit one is fake. Where did you obtain that info? It seemed pretty specific.

In the documentary, "I, Psychopath". If I remember correctly, at some point, he does not know that the camera and mike are running, and he confesses that he has a diploma from a diploma mill. Let me watch the whole thing again because it was 5 years ago, and I'll provide you with the link.

Après L Orage wrote:In the documentary, "I, Psychopath". If I remember correctly, at some point, he does not know that the camera and mike are running, and he confesses that he has a diploma from a diploma mill. Let me watch the whole thing again because it was 5 years ago, and I'll provide you with the link.

Yes, that would be very interesting. That would be the kind of substance I've said I haven't seen. If he goes out of his way to "refute" what he terms "malicious gossip" while at the same time admitting in his writings that Ns are likely to possess and use fake degrees... that would be very strange indeed.

Everything I've seen thus far just seems petty in a way, like my dislike for SLC's potty mouth. Nothing deliberately misleading or deceptive. Just, what appears to be a "dog pile" mentality where people repeat what they've heard, not something specific.

I'm looking forward to more info about this if it's as you think.

Here is the link, in the ninth section of the documentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCMdqGuGLuc

Après L Orage wrote:Here is the link, in the ninth section of the documentary.

Thanks. Did you find anything yet? I noticed at the end of the Vaknin rebuttal, he says:

The concluding scene in the film in which I “admit” that my doctorate hails from a diploma mill is the result of manipulative editing of the raw footage. View the segment carefully: I actually insist there that my doctorate is genuine, that I had to defend it and that it was granted to me by a bona fide university, replete with a campus and in situ classes. In response to Walker’s prompting, I explained to him the differences between diploma mills and my university. My description of a typical diploma mill was taken out of context to imply that I have purchased my doctorate from one (which I emphatically did not!): hence the “incriminating” sentences in the film’s last three minutes.

Could it be you slurped that up?

If that's how it is, you have to admit it's ironic that you were asking me why I defend him when all I do is feel a little sensitive to what I perceive to be maliciousness. There seems to be a natural contempt which lends itself to "jumping on the dogpile" as if it's a not a "side" -- while suggesting those who point out it is are "oddly" defensive? (Projecting?).

But, let me know if I'm wrong. I definitely agree: if what you said were true, that would be pretty bad!

at 0:40 he says, I quote, " I am not really a PhD".

Now, when I asked why do you feel the need to defend him (or quote him, for all I know). It was not a personal attack. I am not trying to attack you through him, I like your posts that are introspective. I do not agree with everything you say, but it does not deter me from finding your contributions meaningful.

My question was more something along the line: does he carry traits that could remind you of someone you loved or got attached to when growing up? I feel like codependents often fall for (or admire) people that resembles their abusive parents, and I am just trying to figure out if that could be the case here. It is not even personal, rather trying to understand patterns, in order to understand myself better as well.

Après L Orage wrote:at 0:40 he says, I quote, " I am not really a PhD".

He also says he is a doctor or phd. From what I can tell, PWU-C was fully authorized/licensed to grant post-secondary degrees under laws existing in 70s-80s. They are considered legal and valid. But, they weren't accredited. I think that's what he was addressing in the video. That would be narcissistic quibbling about, "well, no, it's not like what people think of as a phD, but yes, I have a phD." That would explain the different statements.

Technically, he possesses a legally issued degree from a state certified university at a time when accreditation was less of a requirement. Saying he doesn't have one is false, but if I were him I wouldn't refer to it, especially 35 years afterward when accreditation is mandatory. It is embarrassing, or would be to me.

I don't know if that rises to the level of substance or not. I can see the lines he's probably drawing. But, I think it looks substantial, especially by today's standards. I can see why the gap between his view and others exists.

I found a pretty good explanation of it here.

Après L Orage wrote:Now, when I asked why do you feel the need to defend him ....

I didn't believe I was defending him, as much as stating I hadn't seen anything substantial in the criticisms, and that they seem to be vague and attributable to style.

Après L Orage wrote:My question was more something along the line:

I just think he describes narcissism very well. I think he reaches some people who wouldn't be. He may make it out to be worse than it is (in terms of how functional or healed an N can be). But, if Ns have a problem it's with erring on the side of optimism, so I didn't have a problem with his unfavorable prognosis. It makes me appreciate any signs I see of something better.

Technically, he possesses a legally issued degree from a state certified university at a time when accreditation was less of a requirement. Saying he doesn't have one is false, but if I were him I wouldn't refer to it, especially 35 years afterward when accreditation is mandatory. It is embarrassing, or would be to me.

Oh I want to agree with you. Still there are too many shady things surrounding this PhD, it is in physics, yet he signs his book on narcissism "Dr Sam Vaknin", he did in two years (two years!), in an unaccredited university, and he is not candid about the whole thing. I do not know if Sam Vaknin is a pathological liar or not, what I do know, and I am sure you know that as well, is that people who lie compulsively, often build myths around something factual. And it feels a lot like that to me now, that he embellishes facts, omit details, blur some lines. I think people can decide for themselves whether this is a lie or not. To me it is not OK. Now,

I can see why the gap between his view and others exists.

I like that you used this word, gap. The problem seems the gap between his view of himself and himself. On one hand, he sees himself as a gifted intellectual, and on the other hand, he can't really support this idea of himself from inside, so he builds facts up or something like that? It is also possible that knowing his complex of inferiority, he did not have the balls to go to another university by fear (real or imagined) of having his inferiority exposed.

I didn't believe I was defending him, as much as stating I hadn't seen anything substantial in the criticisms, and that they seem to be vague and attributable to style.

I still think that you feel something in this particular context, something personal, but you won't allow yourself to feel it so you stay on the intellectual level. It's ok. I respect that.

My superego is with me all of the time, telling me that I don't deserve to enjoy myself, make plans, or get really involved in everyday life. It's always there, saying, "What about me?"