I think this is also true for unsympathetic protagonists who may behave abominably, even criminally, but whose delusional, entitled thinking provides fascinating insight into the human capacity for self-deception, thus turning the mirror on the reader. The ultimate end of such characters may be bad, but no-one thinks of themselves as a villain. Here's an example from my own writing that demonstrates the principle Austin decribes here, but with an unsympathetic protagonist.