Artists- Self Absorbed?

Are artists self absorbed?
According to Webster's dictionary, self absorbed means- absorbed in one's own thoughts, activities, or interests or excessively self-involved.

The difference between, say, a business entrepeneur and an actress is that it is the job of an actress to research inside of himself/herself- to use one's imagination to get inside the circumstances of the script. There is a difference between self-absorbed and vanity/selfishness. Acting is the art of portraying human beings honestly, human emotions honestly. The more raw- the better. An actor cannot be concerned about what the audience thinks- at all. Therefore, the more sensitive the artist is, the more in touch with his/her feelings, thoughts, his/her own individual and unique reactions- the more readily will they be able to become the person they are playing.

A good actress prepares by taking a good hard look at the character's objectives- what does this character want more than anything- what drives this character throughout the story? The best actresses finds her own voice inside these circumstances using her own experience or imagination. This is often more work than most people, including many artists, realize.

This kind of self absorbed actually makes a person a better human being. By being more in tune and in touch with one's own emotions and perceptions and by playing characters' in a variety of situations and circumstances- one can naturally empathize more intensely for others in real life. In short, to be self absorbed as an artist is not necessarily a bad thing, if being self absorbed is for the purpose of becoming a better artist, preparing for and playing a role more authentically.