I call it the 'bubble of self' when people are like this, and it really irritates me.
I have a friend who is extremely self absorbed; she literally talks about herself and her problems constantly and never listens to a word anyone else says. I know she never listens as sometimes I'll tell her something, and she'll barely acknowledge it then she'll be surprised a few weeks later when I say I've done X or Y even though I have already told her. On the rare occasion that I have a problem she barely listens and never offers any advice and just says that I'm lucky I haven't got things as bad as she's got it. I've always been there for her and have been happy to listen, but in all honesty a lot of her problems are things she's taken out of proportion. She makes mountains out of molehills and turns them into huge issues.
I have a few other acquaintances that are like it; they just babble on constantly about themselves, and never ask anyone any questions or listen to anyone else's. Their facebook is all 'me me me', and they are the same in person. I actually had the misfortune of going on a night out a few months ago with about 5 people who were like this and who talked over each other all night about themselves. I ended up having a proper conversation where both parties talk and listen with just one other woman who was there, who felt the same way that I did.
Is it just the way of the world now that people are generally self absorbed? How on earth do people like that manage to keep hold of friends and partners?