3 Apr 2025 2:00 pm
Throw in a little Imposter Syndrome with that and you get quiet the head case.Vegas » Today, 12:24 pm » wrote: ↑ I work with high school students in AI programs, and recently came across a senior who has already been diagnosed with narcissistic traits. He’s not a bad kid, but he’s constantly talking about himself. Every conversation, no matter how it starts, loops back to his own life, his stories, his struggles. He never takes full responsibility for his poor choices, and when others respond or push back, he flips the narrative—suddenly he’s the victim.
He was just let go from his job at a cafe. Not for being rude or disruptive, but for being exhausting. Customers complained. Coworkers couldn’t get anything done. Why? Because he wouldn’t stop talking—about himself. Nonstop. He’s 18. He still has time to change. But if he doesn’t, this becomes permanent. Personality ossifies. Excuses harden into delusion. Accountability vanishes completely. And if left unchecked, he becomes a walking cautionary tale—a real-life Veghead.
We’ve all seen what that looks like: a grown man incapable of honest debate, allergic to responsibility, and so obsessed with himself that he turns every conversation into a broken mirror reflecting only his ego. Narcissism isn’t just annoying, it’s corrosive. It wrecks relationships, distorts truth, and erodes any hope of personal growth. Veghead is the endgame of what happens when narcissism meets age, resentment, and a total lack of self-awareness. And it doesn’t have to be that way. But it starts with recognizing the signs, and choosing something different.
If you know a young person showing signs of narcissism—constant self-absorption, deflecting blame, manipulating sympathy, or hijacking every conversation—don’t ignore it. Call it out. Guide them toward accountability. Intervene while there's still time.Because once it hardens, you don’t get a person—you get a cautionary tale.