“Charisma is the numinous aura around a narcissistic personality. It flows outward from a simplicity or unity of being and a composure and controlled vitality. There is gracious accommodation, yet commanding impersonality. Charisma is the radiance produced by the interaction of male and female elements in a gifted personality. The charismatic woman has a masculine force and severity. The charismatic man has an entrancing female beauty. Both are hot and cold, glowing with presexual self love.”

American academic, social critic, and feminist

Camille Anna Paglia is an American academic, social critic, and feminist. She taught at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia from 1984 until its closure in 2024. She is known for her sharp criticism of modern culture and for books such as Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson. Paglia has also argued against aspects of contemporary American feminism and post-structuralism. Her writing and commentary range across American culture, including visual art, music, and film history, and she is often associated with forceful, contrarian criticism.