**A lack of empathy is the most telling characteristic of the narcissist.** They simply don’t care what other people need or how they feel. Their world revolves solely around themselves—their wants, their needs, their desires. There is no genuine concern for the impact their actions have on others. If someone else is hurt, that pain is irrelevant to them unless it somehow affects their image or advantage.

Narcissists don’t hesitate to trample on others emotionally, mentally, and sometimes even physically, all without remorse. Their selfishness blinds them to the damage they cause. When they manipulate or lie, they do it without hesitation because their own gain is the only thing that matters. If hurting someone gets them ahead, so be it. Their sense of entitlement makes them feel justified in using others as tools, stepping on feelings like obstacles in their path.

While they may sometimes appear caring or concerned, this is often a carefully crafted performance. Narcissists can fake empathy when it serves their purpose—like an actor playing a role. They might offer a comforting word or show tears, but it’s shallow and strategic, designed to gain sympathy, to control, or to maintain their perfect image. This fake empathy is a tactic to manipulate those around them into believing they care, when in reality, they do not.

What truly distinguishes a narcissist is their **lack of any genuine desire to put anyone else’s needs above their own.** Unlike healthy individuals who sometimes sacrifice or compromise for the sake of relationships, narcissists are incapable of such true selflessness. Their empathy deficit leaves them unable to truly connect or care. Relationships are transactional for them—they give only as much as it benefits them and take without hesitation.

In essence, narcissists are emotionally bankrupt in the area of genuine empathy. This emptiness is why their relationships are often filled with conflict, misunderstanding, and pain. The people around them may feel unseen, unheard, and unimportant, because to the narcissist, they are just props in a story centered entirely on themselves.