A normal person would apologize and acknowledge they should not have said that. The narcissist, however, will stare at the phone and say, “I didn’t mean it like that,” “You made me send that,” or even “I never said that.” This is gaslighting, right? While looking directly at the screen, they enter magical thinking mode. They twist logic into a pretzel, using word salad and talking in circles until you are dizzy. They may accuse you of being negative or crazy just for pointing out what actually happened.
They fail this test because they operate on emotional reasoning, meaning if they feel it, it is true. If they feel like a good person, then they did not send the mean text. Even if the proof is right there, if they feel attacked, they perceive you as attacking them. When you bring logic into the room, you pop their bubble, threatening their delusion, and they will fight to the death to protect it. They will rewrite history and gaslight you until you question your own sanity. They cannot admit a mistake because, to them, a mistake means they are flawed, and if they are flawed, they are worthless.
Conclusion: The Inescapable Truth
Look at these five tests: money, growth, impulse, crisis, and reality. These are pillars of a real adult life. A narcissist fails every single one of them because they are empty inside; they have no core, no self. They are a bottomless pit of needs and wants. If you see these signs, stop wondering if you are crazy and whether you can fix them. You cannot teach empathy. You cannot teach a grown adult to care that you are sick. You cannot teach someone to live in reality.
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