Words Worth Noting - November 4, 2024

“the most important trait of survivors is a ‘nonselfconscious individualism,’ or a strongly directed purpose that is not self-seeking. People who have that quality are bent on doing their best in all circumstances, yet they are not concerned primarily with advancing their own interests…. Narcissistic individuals, who are mainly concerned with protecting their self, fall apart when the external conditions turn threatening. The ensuing panic prevents them from doing what they must do; their attention turns inward in an effort to restore order in consciousness, and not enough remains to negotiate outside reality.”

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience [summarizing the ideas of Richard Logan].