Bragging or a Secret Narcissist?
I have a "friend" who is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. Whenever we are around other musicians, he changes his personality. He talks differently and starts to show off his musical intellect and sometimes while talking to people via email, he becomes extremely over the top and starts to write complete essays rather then just simply...conversating. He isn't full of himself (such as: "look at me, I am the best!") but it seems to me like he wants to be seen and known as a musician/creative person so badly. Outside of this, he's a sweet and introverted person. Is he a bragger or a secret narcassist or something?
Comments
It's part of the game of being successful and making a name for yourself. When you reach a point in your career where you feel you should be recognized, or recognized more often. I see it all the time in professors, they brag about their research papers, and around other scholars they will go into "intellectual mode" where they debate and discuss and devise or dismiss an idea that critiques their own. I'm sure it is related to ego, but bragging and selling yourself as being good at what you do is all part of the game.
He is just immature...a lot of musicians are. Makes him feel more like an adult to overcompensate with elaboration. When with someone he feels superior to he does not need to do this.
That is his interest. He must love it to learn many instruments. It isn't easy to learn an instrument. He may just be happy to have someone to talk to who understands that.
Maybe he's just passionate about his craft and enjoys talking about it extensively.