Nothing speaks narcissism clearer than racial entitlement

Entitlement is the clearest marker for the kind of problematic narcissism that exploits people because it can.  The power structures are obvious when it comes to such exploitation, because if the exploited are in a position to change roles and responses they will.  The marginalised, however, never have that kind of say.  And in every society, there are races who are on the margins, who are part of the minorities, and, as things presently stand, always will be.  (That is an incredibly sad concept to imagine.)  

A non-narcissistic society and form of governance would ensure by some form of generational policy that the minorities would otherwise be privileged, as such a government counters the inequities between the marginalised and the privileged.  In other words, a truly godly government would ensure reforms would be put in place, but there are the obvious generational barriers to contend with — overturning cultural racism is a mammoth task because it is ingrained in centuries of societal culture.  A commitment to re-educating whole generations would be required, as well as designing and implementing systemically geared societal culture change.

But I want to target and highlight the very forces that contribute to racism in the first place, and these are a narcissism bent on entitlement, that sees another people with different coloured skin, or who are different looking, or who have different customs and practices, and then lords it over this people through entitlement, which is abjectly lacking in empathy, and is known most through relational and material exploitation executed against this people incessantly and systematically.  It is a tyranny that isn’t easily thwarted.

We can observe such a narcissism in a family system, or in the community system, or in the workplace.  Anywhere a person sees themselves above another, as better, or more powerful, or more worthy, or superior in any other way, there is a feeling of entitlement, to think and behave in whatever way is self-justified.  Such self-righteousness is always a sin against God and against the person being exploited, because these two are equals in the sight of God, and nothing can change that.

How is it that our systems of life in developed western countries are so inculcated with racism that people who are most racist can’t see it.  It isn’t just the people who are overtly hating of other races and ideologies that are racist and hegemonic, but it is just as much the person who says they aren’t racist but who deeper down still thinks they are superior and somehow entitled.  The test isn’t in the normal flow of life, the test is always in the push and shove, when allegiances are challenged.  And entitlement is something that will float to the top.

Those who are not outraged by vast racial injustices are those who don’t feel what would enrage them if it happened to those closer to them, or to themselves.  That is an example of entitlement.  It is also an example of a lack of empathy.  And where empathy wanes and entitlement rises, there in the midst of them is the manifestation of exploitation.  Exploitation is always violence.

We of the privileged set are very conveniently placed to not do much, because it doesn’t affect us, and yet if we claim to be of Christ and do nothing, we more or less admit that our privilege has become entitlement.  When we reach a place where we are ambivalent, where maintaining our privilege is more important than speaking up, we have descended into entitlement that lacks empathy and therefore exploits, most visibly through a lack of action, and most latently through an acceptance of a status quo that is horrendously inequitable and inherently discriminatory.

As Christians, we are called to more... much more.  We’re called to repent of our narcissism that sees us either actively contributing to the suffering of the marginalised or in our allowing of it to continue to go unchallenged.  There is an incessant call for those who are in Christ to see every human being as an equal to the point where this plays out in the flow of justice in our everyday lives.  This is very much part of “on earth as it is in heaven.”  Anything less is sin.

The narcissist is building their own little kingdom, denies the Kingdom of God on earth.  It won’t end well for them, because God will execute everlasting justice.

Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash