Worse than the flu, more contagious than a cold, more pervasive than bedbugs:  NARCISSISM.  It's really going around.

A narcissist is a person who believes he or she is the center of the universe and his or her every whim should be met; every thought should be important to others; they should be adored without limit. 

Narcissists are stuck in early adolescence:  they behave the way kids in middle school do.  Lots of drama in relationships; attempts to control others' lives; acting up and acting out; pouting; retaliating; even violence are all in their bag of tricks, no matter what age the narcissist is.  With actual adolescents, we expect this behavior as part of their development.  We also expect them to move beyond this self-centered behavior and develop compassion, maturity, thoughtfulness and an adult relationship pattern.

One of the key indicators of a narcissist is a lack of compassion for others.  You see it all over:  media, politics, the arts, sometimes in your own home.  A narcissist does not connect with actual emotions.  Instead, they experience everything in their world intellectually.  Sometimes they might look or sound as though they are experiencing feelings but rarely are those feelings authentic.  They are reflections of what the narcissist has seen others do in similar circumstances, a thought exercise with no real emotion foundation.

Narcissists are often controlling, verbally and physically abusive, believe themselves to be superior or special and consequently deserve special treatment, have grandiose ideas about themselves, present a facade to those around them and can be very well-liked by those who don't know them well.

If you are in a relationship with a narcissist, you need some coping tools.  I recommend the excellent book: When You Love a Man Who Loves Himself.  I also suggest the book Boundaries by Anne Katherine.  Both will open your eyes.