Egotism

Egotism is the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself, and generally features an inflated opinion of one's personal features and importance. It often includes intellectual, physical, social and other overestimations. Egotism is the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself, and generally features an inflated opinion of one's personal features and importance. It often includes intellectual, physical, social and other overestimations. The egotist has an overwhelming sense of the centrality of the 'Me', that is to say of their personal qualities. Egotism means placing oneself at the centre of one's world with no concern for others, including those 'loved' or considered as 'close', in any other terms except those subjectively set by the egotist. Egotism is closely related to an egocentric love for one's imagined self or narcissism – indeed some would say 'by egotism we may envisage a kind of socialized narcissism'. Egotists have a strong tendency to talk about themselves in a self-promoting fashion, and they may well be arrogant and boastful with a grandiose sense of their own importance. Their inability to recognise the accomplishments of others leaves them profoundly self-promoting; while sensitivity to criticism may lead on the egotist's part to narcissistic rage at a sense of insult. Egotism differs from both altruism – or behaviour motivated by the concern for others rather than for oneself – and from egoism, the constant pursuit of one's self-interest. Various forms of 'empirical egoism' have been considered consistent with egotism, but do not – which is also the case with egoism in general – necessitate having an inflated sense of self.