Egomania

The term "egomania" is often used by laypersons in a pejorative fashion to describe an individual who is perceived as intolerably self-centered. Narcissistic personality disorder is the clinical condition that most resembles and is most often associated with this definition and usage of the term, though the two differ vastly according to the individual's responses to others.

History

Egomania was brought into polemical prominence at the end of the 19th century by Max Nordau, one of the first critics who perceived the centrality of the concept of egoism for an understanding of Modernism, with criticism on the ideology of egomania. Nordau distinguished egoism from the egomania. He described egoism as a lack of amiability while maintaining the ability to look after oneself, and egomania as a condition where one does not see things as they are, does not understand the world, and cannot take up a right attitude towards it. Nordau's attack was aimed at the avant-garde of the fin de siècle. He describes the self-proclaimed geniuses as criminals & madmen obsessed with culte du moi (the cult of self).

Over a century later, the term egomania re-appeared with a positive gloss to mark the post-modern quest for success and celebrity. "Self-confidence is the key to all success..." By contrast, reticent personalities may be labelled: it may well be a form of egomania, if you aren't willing to take a chance".