By: Sanabhi Gupta
The Dark Triad is a term that sums up three of the most dangerous and manipulative personality types; narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Machiavellianism characterizes a lack of emotion for others’ downfall and a sense of fearlessness. Whereas impatience, anger, unhappiness, depression, or having mood swings when criticized, quickly getting disappointed when expected importance is not given comes under narcissism. Similarly, psychopathy is characterized by a lack of empathy, impulsivity, irresponsibility, etc. All three of them are so different yet so similar. This topic is often neglected and avoided, making the people with these personality traits – who destroy other people’s life mentally, emotionally, and otherwise – quickly get off the hook unblamed when others are hurt as a result of their actions. These people usually get off the hook because of the mind games they play.
They are usually highly confident, they dress to impress and show fake sympathy most times. They tend to look extraordinarily innocent and are primarily pleasant to talk to. According to the life-history theory, individuals with Dark Triad manifest the fast-life strategy, characterized by a disregard for social rules, short-term thinking, and extensive future-discounting related behaviors.
Dishonesty and lack of empathy are typical characteristics seen among these people. They are tough to identify because they do not lack confidence and are extraordinarily charismatic and know how to play with words. They always dress confidently and make you feel engaged on your first meeting with them. People are usually aware of this disorder in their young adult or adolescence phase, but a failure to manage them properly leads to catastrophic effects in adulthood.
A few symptoms associated with people who have these traits are; they lack empathy and try to win by causing pain, they try to spite other people by their lifestyle and personality, they believe that they should get what they want because of who they are, and they are quite manipulative in nature.
People with Dark Triad disorder tend to assume it is the normal way of living, they appear to be incredibly smart but engage themselves in manipulative games. They are the type of people you like at first glance or after meeting them at first until they leave you broken as a result of the negative effect they have on you.
It is important to know and identify people with these personality types and traits to prevent others from the negative effects their traits might have on them. An awareness of these personality traits would also help sufferers with this disorder get adequate attention and therapy they need.
