Examples of Narcissism in “The Matrix” and “Freedom Writer’s Diary”

“Out of anger, Timothy McVeigh decided he would take his frustration out on others to give the country a wake-up call. Unfortunately, it was a deadly one,” (“Diary 18,” Freedom Writer’s Diary, 14). Acts of devastation such as this have been suggested to be a result of people having personalities dominated by narcissism. The American Heritage Dictionary defines narcissism as a pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation and obsession with one’s self, to the exclusion of all others, and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one’s gratification, dominance, and ambition.

Those with a strong desire to regard themselves as superior beings are considered narcissistic. When questioning the personalities of narcissists, it is important to understand a few recognized issues and determine possible causes. Traits that represent narcissists may include a lack of psychological awareness, such as a preoccupation with one’s beauty and fantasies of unlimited success. Not only is narcissism visible throughout our culture in Orange County, but it is also a growing problem reflected through characters such as Cypher in the 1999 box office hit, The Matrix, and The Freedom Writer’s Diary. This, coupled with my own experiences, allows us to ponder if the next self-absorbed bomber or betrayer could be among our circle of friends or neighbors, similar to Narcissus.

According to Greek myth, Narcissus was a handsome youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a spring. Echo, a young nymph hopelessly in love with Narcissus, was rejected by him due to her inability to begin a conversation. Subsequently, Narcissus prayed to keep loving himself, a wish fulfilled by the goddess Nemesis. She caused him to pause at a spring on the heights of Mount Helicon, where he became enamored with his reflection. So enraptured was he, Narcissus died of starvation while gazing at himself. At the place of his death, a Narcissus flower appeared, but there was no one left to mourn him. Narcissus’ self-absorption and lack of psychological awareness are evident in his rejection of Echo and scorn for lovers of both sexes due to his pride.

A modern-day Narcissus might be the character Cypher from the film The Matrix. ‘Cipher’ in the dictionary means zero, or “one that has no value”. In this context, Cypher is similar to a Judas archetype, a betrayer or false Christian, who puts his selfishness above the welfare of others. Cypher’s red jersey with a hole over his heart symbolizes his heartlessness and lack of love for God or others. Similar traits from Narcissus and Cypher are observable in real life. For instance, individuals, drawn to careers that offer public recognition and adulation such as acting, modeling, or politics, may display narcissistic tendencies. Together, these examples help illustrate the causes that lead to narcissism.

Traumas are inevitable and an inseparable part of life. But in early childhood, especially in the formative years of infancy (ages 0 to 4 years), they acquire an ominous aura, an evil, irreversible meaning. As parents sometimes have to go away due to medical or personal reasons, they may be too preoccupied to stay attuned at all times to the child’s emotional needs. According to psychologist Heinz Kohut, narcissists may sense emotional distress caused by peers or parents they feel have declined to show reassurance, praise, and admiration (“Psychodynamic Perspectives”, 323). For instance, in Diary 16, the writer describes her parents’ disapproval of her boyfriend and how she rebelled by running away. Eventually, her parents arrived at her boyfriend’s house, where the couple had escaped to. “She headed toward my boyfriend and started screaming and lecturing him. My dad came toward me, cussing and screaming. Unexpectedly, he punched me in the eye” (Diary 16, “Freedom”, 35). Verbal and physical abuse upon the daughter (the writer of Diary 16) are clearly present. In reference to the writer, she may become a reflection of her dysfunctional family – repressing emotions, denying reality, resorting to violence and escapism, the very actions that ironically began the ordeal. The child, fearful of further rejection and abuse, refrains from further interaction. Instead, it builds its own kingdom of grandiose fantasies wherein it is always loved and self-sufficient. This is the narcissistic strategy which leads to the development of a narcissistic personality. Growing up and attaining maturity to adulthood, adolescents experience predicaments where jealousy is felt due to those who have achieved greater success ranging from school exams to promotions at work. Consequently, narcissists begin to feel the need to strive for high ambitions and devote themselves tirelessly to work.

On the other hand, psychologists suspect that the cause of narcissism is severe mental or physical pain in childhood at the hands of a powerful, idealized mother-father figure. One theory proposes that the parents of people who develop this disorder needed their children to be talented or special in order to maintain their own self-esteem. Conversely, parents, who are the ideal and moral guides, sometimes fail to meet the appraisal that the infants expect. This tends to decrease the children’s sense of self. As children mature, many continue to engage in athletic sports like basketball, baseball, soccer, etc. For some of us who have never experienced watching any of the mentioned games, parents shouting, “Come on, get the ball!” “Shoot it!” can be heard frequently until winners are determined. During my Little League years of baseball, I encountered times where coaches and parents on my team yelled comments like “Strike him out!” or “You shouldn’t have missed that ball!”. During that pressuring experience, I can recall the thought of “it’s all up to me now” racing through my mind while doubts ran through my stream of consciousness. What I needed to hear was something a bit more optimistic. Lacking acknowledgement for someone experiencing narcissism results in problems that often have negative effects.

Without encouraging comments such as “you did the best today”, or emphasis on recognition, children begin to feel unsteady in their self-esteem and unable to handle even slight blows to their self-worth. Furthermore, members of Congress, supervisors, or sales associates, who often seek higher positions of status and power, tend to be more successful in their careers. This is because narcissistic individuals are often drawn to careers where they can receive adulation. As for Cypher, none of his crew members acclaim his presence. He wearily states, “I’m tired of this war.” Subsequently, Cypher attributes his inability to handle the agony to the notion that Morpheus, the group leader aboard the crew, lied and “tricked” them all. Otherwise, he claims, they would have never taken the red pill. Cypher falsely speaks for the group, all of whom appreciated taking the red pill and finding the truth. Furthermore, Morpheus “tricked” no one. Even as Neo was choosing the pill, Morpheus clearly warned him, “All I’m offering is the truth. Nothing more.” Cypher then pulls the life plug from the ship, eliminating Apoc and Switch in the Matrix world.

Speaking of eliminating, Timothy McVeigh, angry with the government, acted upon the belief that federal officers who led the raid in Waco, Texas, executed seventy-six people. Jennifer McVeigh, Timothy McVeigh’s younger sister and confidant, says, “He thought the government was becoming somewhat oppressive in certain ways. Overstepping their bounds in certain ways and complained that government had too much control over people’s lives.” McVeigh’s motives for his actions were largely due to three government efforts to control guns: the Brady gun-control law, the raid at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, and the siege at the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas, in 1993. A survivor of the Oklahoma City Bombing described: “A man parked the yellow Ryder truck filled with 4,000-pounds of fertilizer-and-fuel-oil bomb, lit the fuse, and walked away.” The effects are unpredictable, and narcissists such as McVeigh illustrate ways of responding to life’s wounds with fury, feeling inflamed or crushed by criticism, and brooding about it extensively.

For people like Cypher and McVeigh, grandiosity is often a tool helping those with narcissistic personalities to mask their feelings, whether they are insensitive to other people’s needs and emotions, or become terribly upset when treated in an ordinary manner. These disguises are achieved by shifting meanings and using exaggeration and fragments of reality as a basis for fantasy elaboration.

Through my own experiences, as well as by referencing The Matrix and The Freedom Writer’s Diary, we can infer that a narcissist’s self-esteem is comparable to a reservoir that constantly needs to be replenished or it becomes dry. Narcissists develop various types of characteristics and cannot be categorized into one type. Whether we encounter a narcissistic person depends on each individual’s judgment. The prevalence of narcissism in our diverse culture makes us realize that many individuals like Timothy McVeigh exist around us every day. They are just like walking time bombs, waiting to go off and when they do, the outcomes can be overwhelming. Betrayers may exist within your circle, unnoticed. However, we might be able to identify a narcissist by their qualities. Whenever you look around, you may wonder if the next person you encounter or who sits beside you is Narcissus.

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