So this article about chronic pain and situational narcissism has been making the rounds on both WordPress & LJ.
I’ll be honest: I don’t agree with the article, because don’t think the author has personal experience with chronic pain and is not therefore aware of the way it can flunctuate. I also dislike the casual bandying about of the term narcissist. Which is not unreasonable, given that there’s actually such a thing as Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Those of us with mental health issues can be a little bit sensitive about labels.
Anyway, I didn’t think the article was very good, and said so over here. Some others agreed with me. None of us particularly heated–I know I said I found it infuriating, but that lasted for about five minutes. There were no epic flamewars. No tempers were lost. No names were called.
In fact, I’d forgotten all about the article until I found some comments on wordpress describing us as being FREAKED and SENSITIVE. Our legitimate, politely voiced concerns have been dismissed and the people who expressed them have been called a bit too ’sensitive’.
THAT is offensive.
Seriously–you don’t need to agree with what I’m saying, but at least grant me the basic courtesy of listening to what I’m saying instead of writing me off as ’sensitive’.
And for the record, we’re not trying to take away your right to free speech when we tell you that what you’re saying is offensive. Nobody’s taking your right to express your feelings away. The fact that you instantly bring up freedom of speech is a sign that clearly, you just don’t get it.
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