Not All Villains Wear Capes: When ‘Dark’ Traits Help Us Survive

Tuesday, June 17, 2025.

Some people meditate.

Some people cope by rage-texting their ex.

And some, apparently, quietly Machiavelli their way through depression while the rest of us mainline chamomile tea and CBT workbooks.

That’s not just snark. It’s science.

New research is pointing to a deeply uncomfortable truth for therapists and saints alike: certain personality traits we’ve spent decades labeling as "dark" might actually help people survive psychological distress.

You know, the ones you warn your daughter about on dating apps: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy.

Collectively known as the Dark Triad, these traits are the Mean Girls of personality psychology.

They manipulate, self-promote, and ghost without blinking. But like every good anti-hero, they might just have one hidden virtue: resilience.

And I don’t mean the woo-woo, Instagram-quote kind.

I mean clinical, coping-strategy-based, measurable resilience. The kind that actually shows up in your cortisol levels and your willingness to get out of bed before noon.

Let’s dig in.

Meet the Villains: Machiavelli, Narcissus, and That Guy From "You"

The Dark Triad consists of:

  • Machiavellianism (strategy + manipulation + moral flexibility)

  • Narcissism (grandiosity + self-focus + occasional inspirational quotes)

  • Psychopathy (emotional detachment + impulsivity + ice water for blood)

Traditionally, psychologists lumped these traits together like leftover sushi—interesting in theory, dangerous in practice. But recent studies, including one from Queen’s University Belfast (McIlvenna et al., 2025), ask a radical question: What if these traits are multidimensional?

When Strategy Outperforms Sentimentality

Let’s start with Machiavellian agency.

That’s not the mustache-twirling villain plotting your downfall.

It’s the calculated, goal-focused part of Machiavellianism that helps people evaluate problems and adjust their behavior with cold-blooded efficiency.

McIlvenna’s study found that people high in this trait had:

  • More Coping Flexibility: (they don’t keep using a broken emotional tool just because it’s familiar)

  • Lower Levels of Depression: (less crying into ice cream; more "adapt and overcome")

Imagine someone who gets dumped and, instead of spiraling into Spotify and self-pity, writes a 12-point recovery plan with Gantt charts and contingency tables. That’s not dysfunction. That’s just Machiavellian agency at work.

And get this: coping flexibility—a person’s ability to drop bad strategies and try new ones—is a major buffer against anxiety, stress, and depression.

Turns out, strategic bastards don’t get stuck in emotional quicksand. They build a bridge and walk away.

But What About the Narcissists?

Ah yes, the selfie kings and queens.

Narcissistic extraversion (not to be confused with narcissistic antagonism, which is a whole different mess) includes traits like confidence, assertiveness, and positive self-regard.

You know, the part of narcissism that gets the job interview, not the part that ruins Thanksgiving.

While this trait didn’t directly reduce depression in the study, it boosted Machiavellian agency. So basically, narcissism hands the steering wheel to Machiavellianism and says, "Drive us out of this mess."

Useful? Yes.

Annoying? Also yes.

Wait, Daniel, Are You Telling Me to Be More Manipulative?

No. I’m telling you that maybe the people you thought were cold or calculating were just doing what they needed to do to stay upright.

This isn’t a moral defense of bad behavior.

It’s a clinical observation that strategic cognition can sometimes outperform emotional earnestness.

In other words, coping isn’t a popularity contest.

And if a bit of inner Machiavelli helps someone avoid depression, maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to pathologize.

Next time, we’ll dive deeper into Machiavellian agency—the good, the bad, and the spreadsheet. But for now, here’s your takeaway:

Maybe your inner villain isn’t a saboteur. Maybe they’re just the hard-nosed project manager your feelings need right now.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.

RESOURCES:
McIlvenna, M., Fino, E., & Papageorgiou, K. A. (2025). More than just aversive: The bridge between the dark triad and depression and coping flexibility, the role of Machiavellianism. Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.112345

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Strategic Bastards and the Art of Coping Flexibility

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The Case for Strategic Bastards: Why a Little Machiavellianism Might Save You From Depression