Hi Randy — Thanks for the reply. I hear what you’re saying but I don’t think that’s real empathy. Empathy involves the ability to understand how a person feels and what they might be thinking, to feel what they are feeling, all of which comes from being able to take their perspective and put their needs first for a period. Doing something that helps narcissists continue to feel superior is the exact opposite of empathy, it is play acting so that the person and others will think well of them. It’s all them focused and has nothing to do with the person in need at all except again in terms of what that person can give the narcissist in terms of feeling good about themselves, a more positive image, attention or the like. I come into contact with a lot of narcissists professionally and personally and they are solely concerned with themselves. Perhaps those with narcissistic tendencies that aren’t too extreme might be more capable of empathy but the second you talk about it as something that makes them feel more superior it turns back to being about them. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.