It's so much worse than that. Their self-inserts aren't even Mary Sues anymore. Now the protagonist on the page shares all of the flaws and defects of the narcissist behind the keyboard - and the story treats her like a goddess anyways! It's a whole new level of self-absorption when you use your own fictional narrative to validate your lifestyle via a self-inserted proxy.
That's still a Mary Sue. She's still being handed unearned success to the detriment of the story, it's only the difference between winning the race undeservedly and losing and being handed the gold medal anyway.
It's so much worse than that. Their self-inserts aren't even Mary Sues anymore. Now the protagonist on the page shares all of the flaws and defects of the narcissist behind the keyboard - and the story treats her like a goddess anyways! It's a whole new level of self-absorption when you use your own fictional narrative to validate your lifestyle via a self-inserted proxy.
That's still a Mary Sue. She's still being handed unearned success to the detriment of the story, it's only the difference between winning the race undeservedly and losing and being handed the gold medal anyway.