

Is “genius” hacker Walter O'Brien a fraud? - asherlangton
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140924/14422128627/another-story-fake-brilliant-inventor-is-scorpion-walter-obrien-real-computer-security-genius.shtml

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lutusp
The linked article appears to describe the behavior of a classic textbook
malignant narcissist -- I mean either the author of the piece, or his subject,
falls into that category. Maybe both.

More here:
[http://arachnoid.com/ChildrenOfNarcissus](http://arachnoid.com/ChildrenOfNarcissus)

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asherlangton
The subject, sure, but the author? Why?

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lutusp
Because without doing independent research, a reader must accept the
possibility that the story is wildly exaggerated, which is the sign of a
narcissistic journalist.

If the _subject_ is a narcissist, his description of himself may be wildly
exaggerated, which is what the article reports.

If the _writer_ is a narcissist, his description of his subject may be wildly
exaggerated.

And yes, there are plenty of stories of narcissistic journalists, some
eventually exposed as frauds who make up their copy.

The really interesting cases are those in which both the writer and his
subject are narcissists.

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asherlangton
Ah, I see what you're saying. Fair enough.

