Megalomania
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Megalomania (from the Greek word μεγαλομανία) is a psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence - often generally termed as delusions of grandeur. It includes an obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions. It is sometimes symptomatic of manic or paranoid disorders.
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[edit] In the arts
Megalomania is portrayed very often in fiction, usually as an affliction of supervillains. It is not always used in a strictly correct manner; for instance, it is common for a villain to be described as a "megalomaniac" if he demonstrates an obsession with gaining immense power and wealth (rather than a delusion that he already possesses these things). However, fiction also contains genuinely megalomaniacal supervillains, and the lesser sense of an obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions is a common supervillain trait.
[edit] Books
Megalomania features in Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
[edit] Plays
William Shakespeare's Macbeth is a famous example of overweening ambition and arrogance.
[edit] Movies
Charlie Chaplin parodied megalomania in The Great Dictator, his classic movie comedy about Adolf Hitler.
[edit] Music
Songs named "Megalomaniac" have been done by KMFDM and Incubus. Black Sabbath have a song on their Sabotage album called "Megalomania." Muse have a song called "Megalomania" on their second album Origin of Symmetry, and Therion have a song entitled "Megalomania" on their album Of Darkness....
[edit] See also
- Narcissism (psychology)
- Narcissistic personality disorder
- Malignant narcissism
- Hubris
- Victory disease
- Superiority complex
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