The narcissist has the singular ability to present two completely different personas to different segments of people with whom he interacts and get away with this “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydean” pattern of behavior.
When in his Dr. Jekyll mode, he’s charming, seemingly thoughtful, and downright charismatic. This mode is presented to the general public and to the people he is courting, whether the courtship is personal and even sexual or purely business or even political. A “good” narcissist could often be successful as a professional actor, and is, in fact, performing effectively on the “stage of life.”
The Mr. Hyde mode arises when the narcissist finds himself in what he perceives to be a safe harbor where he can get away with outrageous and abusive behavior. Safe harbors include the privacy of his home and his own business environment where he has real or perceived power to control others without fear of exposure.
Another form of the two faces of narcissism is in the financial field. Narcissistic businessmen often get away with “tarnishing” many creditors while actually collecting money from others. This is achieved through the clever structuring of separate legal entities that can range from local limited liability companies to offshore companies. At any given time, there is a favorite exotic offshore “rental of the day” either in the Cayman Islands or, more recently, the Isle of Man.
Whether in personal or professional life, it is important for victims of these two-faced narcissists to recognize these behavior patterns in order to better protect themselves.
