The Humanist Association of Toronto
http://www.humanisttoronto.ca/

Every Saturday we meet on Zoom to discuss a topic decided upon the previous week. These are topics of humanist interest, from a humanist perspective.

The topic of the discussion will be decided in a prior meeting, usually two weeks in advance. This week’s topic is: *From Structural Narcissism to Humanist Ethics: A Dec 6 Reflection*, Introduced by Brenda Sedgwick

**Why Dec 6 Matters**
December 6 marks the anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre. It is a National Day of Remembrance for gender-based violence. The event is an extreme expression of a continuum of **structural violence**—from everyday dismissal and bureaucratic devaluation to explicit misogynistic harm.

***

**Two Opposing Ethical Poles: Narcissism vs Humanism**
**1\. Narcissistic / Dark Triad Orientation**
Linked to exploitation, domination, and suppression of vulnerability. This includes:

* **Narcissism:** entitlement, lack of empathy
* **Machiavellianism:** manipulation, strategic deception
* **Psychopathy:** callousness, remorselessness

Structural equivalents (Weber, Goffman, Fromm, Mills):

* bureaucratic defensiveness
* rigid hierarchies
* image-protective cultures
* institutional blame-shifting

**Results:** Grooming, scapegoating, silencing dissent, rewarding control over care.

***

**2\. Humanist / Light Triad Orientation**
The psychological and ethical counterpoint to narcissism. This includes:

* **Humanism:** inherent worth of each person
* **Faith in Humanity:** a belief in others' goodness
* **Kantianism:** treating people as ends, not means

Structural equivalents:

* cultures of repair, humility, and accountability
* reciprocal responsibility
* truth-telling and transparency
* relational rather than hierarchical ethics

**Results:** Attunement, collaboration, restoration, shared dignity.

***

**Micro–Meso–Macro Lens**

* **Micro (Individual):** interpersonal grooming, idealization, gaslighting, devaluation.
* **Meso (Organization):** bureaucratic rigidity, “iron cage,” institutional deflection, para-military “never admit error” cultures.
* **Macro (Society):** gendered violence, patriarchy, status hierarchies, systemic devaluation of marginalized voices.

Humanist ethics intervene at all three levels.

***

**Red Flags and Double-Bind**
Citizens and survivors are asked to identify danger signs:

* charm that feels too fast
* contradictory behaviour
* refusals to accept responsibility
* emotional coldness or hostility
* silencing, dismissing, or pathologizing concerns

Yet when individuals identify these patterns in institutions, they are often labelled “difficult,” “unstable,” or “fixated.” **This is a structural double-bind.**

***

**Guiding Questions for Discussion**

1. **Continuum of Harm**

How do everyday bureaucratic behaviours connect to extreme gender-based violence?
2. **Structure vs Ethics**

Where do narcissistic patterns show up in institutions, and how might humanist values counteract them?
3. **The Pathologizing of Witnessing**

Why are those who identify harm so often dismissed?
4. **Humanist Cultures of Repair**

What structural changes would reflect true humanist ethics?

Meet our diverse group, trade perspectives in a free and open forum and learn from others as they learn from you!

BTW: don't be concerned if there are not many RSVP’s. Many HAT members attend regularly but don’t sign up on Meetup. Our online meetings have been very popular with 20-30 attendees.

NOTE: The HAT Forum adheres strictly to the City of Toronto Policy on Non-Discrimination (http://www.the519.org/public/content/policy-files/The519SpaceUsePolicy.pdf)

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HAT Forum - The Increasing Prevalence of Narcissism 

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Humanist Association of Toronto (HAT) Meetup Group

HAT Forum - The Increasing Prevalence of Narcissism

Humanist Association of Toronto (HAT) Meetup Group

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