Not everyone with a large platform is harmful, but many of the people being elevated by algorithmic advantage aren’t doing real work. They’re not grounded in practice, accountability, or long-term service. They’re NPCs with massive reach skilled in performance, fluent in the right language and vibe, and rewarded for visibility. Over the years, I’ve learned that influence without skin in the game isn’t wisdom, and talking the talk without mining the depths of a subject isn’t authority. At the centre of this distortion is cultural narcissism, as defined by Christopher Lasch. He described it as a societal shift toward self-preoccupation, emotional defensiveness, and a craving for validation rather than meaning. In this context, influence becomes a performance, and public identity replaces inner life.