Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 4 views

    Lasch Christopher The Culture of Narcissism

    Uploaded by

    Jeremiah Bowen

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content

    You might also like

    Lasch Christopher The Culture of Narcissism

    Uploaded by

    Jeremiah Bowen
    4 views151 pages

    Original Title

    Lasch Christopher the Culture of Narcissism

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf
    4 views151 pages

    Lasch Christopher The Culture of Narcissism

    Uploaded by

    Jeremiah Bowen

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf
    of 151
    B0oRS AY Chnstpher Lasch “The American Liberals andthe Ruan Revlon (162) “The New fadlaiom in Amen (1065 “The Agony ofthe Amerkan Left (106) “The Word of atone 197) Haven na Hearts World: he ail Besieged (1077) “The Cutare o Narcisam 1970) “The Minimal Sa (1004 “The True and Only Heaven: Progre and Gri (1801 “The Revolt ofthe Ee and he Betrayal of Demwcracy (1900 THE CULTURE OF NARCISSISM American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations Christopher Lasch DT W-W-Norton & Company New York London ‘Capi ©1979 by Oana Lash A ig ed Pret nthe Uni St of Amara, Fie pled a « Naren ppc 191 hear of Cnet Caan in PBs Di Lata, Chanphe, lets oem adn “W.W.Nonen& Copan Ie 500 as enue, New Yr 1010 ‘Coats Home, 15/96 Was Ses, London WIT QT Te Kate For she is wise, if I cam judge of er, And fir she is, if that mine eyes be true, And true she is, ax she bath proo'd herself And therefore, like herself, ise, fair, and true, ‘Shall she be placed i my constant soul. Contents Preface Acinowleagments I ‘The Awareness Movement and the Social Ins of the Self The Waning of the Seo of Hier Tine The TherapeceSemibiy Fram Polit Se Examination nd Anstonesion The Vad Wik ‘The Prgresie Crit of Privaion ‘The Cre of Privo! Ribard Sentt (de Fall f Pubic Man I The Narcisstic Personality of Our Noreision as Metapbor of the Haman Coin Peto an [Navini in Reet lial Literate ‘Sei Infncs om Narco The World View of the Reignd 6 le 2 sil» Comener It Changing Moder of Making From’ Harti Alger to the Happy Hooker The Original Meaning of te Work bic From Sel Caltare to Self Promotion trong “Winning Image” Tie clip of Acbicement Th Art of Sal Serial ‘Th Apatborsof Indian TVs “The Hana of Peeudo-Se-Awarenes: “Thestis of Polis and Everyday Existence mame pan ae eee, a faa eae mead pane ae Eo v “The Degradation of Spor he Spc of ley eros the Rags for National Uplift Hisige on Homo Uedens 2 56 9 a n * a “ te so 4 100 101 The Cri of Sport The Traction of Arb Imprint Cah of the Seon Life ‘irae Lyalyand Compton’ Barauray and “Teaco Ser an he Erion Inary ie Efe a Schooling and the New Hiteracy The Spread of Seapeiton The Atrophy of Competence ioral Origin of the Mdern Seto! Sytem rom Indus Dicpline 1 Manproer Seton ‘Brom Amertaniztion “Lie Adjacent” ‘Bask Educason vera National Dene Eéscaon The Cri! Rights Movement and te Scone Cultural Paton and the Nos Peterman The ie of he Malena Catarat "Elite and Te Critics Esato os 4 Cmimadty VII ‘The Socialization of Reproduction and the Collapue of Authority The “Sailzaton of Werkingnen”™ The Juco Court Parent Eduction Permsisene Record The Cal of Autontty v4 185 56 19) 162 68 Comets Pt eprint oft Tr of Nason, Scope, end he Family ‘Nero ond te "Ab Father” The Arion of Autry and he Transformation oft Supers ‘Tie Family’ Relation t Otter Ages of Sait Contr Hg lations he Jb “Tie Factory at Foil VII “The Flight from Feeling Sociopeychology ofthe Sex War The Trieiaicvion of Perl Relations The Bart of he Se: fs Sil Hasory ie Sera! "Rectan ‘Taeterne ‘ominom andthe Intenifation of Sexual Warfare ‘Strange of Acommadaton The Caratng Woman of Male Fontry The Soul f Mow and Woman under Sxialion IX "The Shattered Frith in the Regeneration of Lie The Dread of Old Age [Neri and Old Ae The Sail Theory of Aging: “Groth” as Ploned Obese Probngevty: The Bip! Tory of Aging 16 176 18 24 xX Paternalism Without Father ae Fe amasting Progresstvism and the Rise of the New Paternal Earp ee een ett fae irene sein Ramet ieae ee a Index Mm 2 2 a be aa a as Pretace Hardly more than 2 quaner-centiry after Heary Lice pro- lety—a society that giver increasing prominence an encourage ‘ment narcissistic traits—the ultura devaluation of the pest fefcers nae only the povery of the previ iecogies, which have lst thei rip on reality and abandoned the attempt tomas tert, but the poverty ofthe maria’ inne if. A society that has made “nostalgia” + marketable commodity nthe cultural exchange quickly repudiates the suggestion that life the past ‘was in any important way better than fe teday. Having eit laed the past by equating i with outmadd styles of consump. ‘ion, discarded fashions and attudes, people today resent an ‘one who draws on the pain serious distustons of contemporary ‘onditions or attempts to use the pastas standard by which to judge the preset. Current eriscl dogina equates every such re rence tothe pst a5 ie an expression of natalia As Alber Burr has observed, this hind of reasoning "rules out eoiely any Insights gained, and any values arved at by personal expercnce, since such experiences af aways located nthe pat, and here> fore inthe precints of nostalgia, “To discuss the complesitesof our relation to the part under the heading of “nostalga substtater sloganeering forthe objec: tive social evtcism with which this atta tes to associate sell. The fashionable sneer that now automaticly greets every loving recollection of the past attempts to exploit the prejudices of| 1 pendoprogresive society on tal of the status quo, But we ‘ow Kowmthanks eo the work of Chrisepher Hil EP. ‘Thompson, and other historine—that many radial movements in the pst have drawn strength and sustenance from the myth ot ‘memory of agolden ae inthe sl quore distant past This histor teal discovery reinfores the psychoanalytic ivighe thet loving memories constitute a9 indispensable paychologeal resource In maturity. and that those who canna fil back cn the memory of loving relatos inthe pas suffer terrible torments az resul ‘The belie tha in some’ ways the past was & haps tine BY mo means rests ona sentimental illusion, nor dos lead to Back looking, reactionary paralysis ofthe pols wil My own view of the past i just the opposite of David Don- sli» Pre sls. Fae from rganing a+ uscless encumbrance, 1 sc the pas ara police and prychologial easy from which we deve thereserves (nt nectar inthe form of lesson) hat we ed to-cope withthe fure. ur cures indiference to the past ‘hich ely shader over nt tive boty sd recto ‘ther the mottling pret of tha clarc’e bekrptey. The [revalng aude, 0 cesful and forwarding oe he ur {ice deves from 1 natcinic moporenthoent Of the payee da fom an nblity to ground sur neds the expec tf aasection and contentment. lnsead of drwing on tr oem Sxperience, we allow experts 0 define ur tts ft ur ad hee ‘ander why those needs never seem tobe satisfied. “As people Become ape pup in learning how to need Ivan ich write "te ability to shape want frm experienced ttisfction becomes 4 rare competence of the very Fch or the seriously undersup- pled” For al these reson, the devalaation of the past has become ‘ne ofthe mom spartan symptom of the eter rss to Shichi book addres uct lic deswingon historical expe ‘Rene to esplain wht is tong wath present arangemente A seni ofthe past, superficially progressive bd optim, prover ‘on closer analysts tocmbody the despa sobety the Sonat ‘oe the fae Acknowledgments Some of te asin hen were sharpened in crepe and Satin vib Mele! ge sd ovr Shestin son eat EAE eter mera my nk re oa eae Seeldiiehtoandenene ny wlabche ne eee Pet Read oma ny, ihre ames methcnip nce sprig inch bk sds Nene of he se Seale pom r my snen, nee of uke ey td mpc ne “he manip beet rm cen ean yy wile and by Jenner Hin wins ns an SLnceontn iia ato Sm tan Be Ie erna swe sis ea ered ond spsh rember yee ee ke Keto Cte Neen Sy’ Sept aks Mans hee ‘ner 28 Oomer res "The Cop ef Spee apd ah ie Sige of te Fam 26 Novem Wy Pose ace eee Nise Panny of Our Fine tr we. When Cas sensing ine Care ut Fare” Aap ON ee inca The gh om Fel" sing 107 and Poe Cree Yeon fin ond Fane Mat np ee Tar THE CULTURE OF Nancissism I ‘The Awareness Movement and ‘the Social Invasion of the Self Th arson ing ard Pale, pate fare mer, br ses a ey ton, Testo pot eed tea a,b ba tpartan stat, he ‘ine, Ti Merci eg ain tm bry, Ngan Somat pn bre. He ety pri. Hecae “ProlisB recon ret Hes vere by ‘ems A cin of atm ad deine roa Iho iaing eink et ie smb tie 1 cose The Waning of the Seas of Historical Time As the swen- "eth century approacherts end, the conviction grows thst ay ‘other things ae ending roo. Storm warnings, porens, hints of ‘atsirophe hnunt our tines. The sense of a ending whieh has given shape to so much ef rwentcthcemtury terse, now pe ‘ades the popular imagisation as well The Net holcause the ‘reat of nuclear anniiltion, the depletion of natura esourene wellfounded predictions of ecologic! disaster have fulled pe ‘te prophccy. giving coneete historia substance tothe nigh. smare, of death wish, Oat avanegare artists were the Bro ‘xpress, The question ofwhether the world will nd in Br or fee, with + bang or a whimper, no longer interests arts shone 4: The Cate of Narciso Impending disaster has Become an everyday concer, 50 com imunplace and. familar that moby any longer ges much {ought fo how disaster might be averted. People busy then chee instead with survival seratepin, measures designed to frlong tr cu lives or prorat guaranteed to ensue peat Featind peace of mind = “Those who dig br shkers hope to survive by surrounding themselves with the lest products of modern technology. ‘Commupards inthe country Adhere to an opposite plan: to ree themselves from dependent on technology ad hus toautve ts ‘Sesruction or elapse. Avistr to commune in North Carolina Srrite:"Eseryone sets to share this sense of imminent dooms {op Stewart Brand, editor ofthe Wok Eat Catare,reports hn sale a the Srs tre boing one fe te tmoving ems." Both sratepes reflect the growing despair o ‘hanging soley, even of understanding it, which abo underies the ult of expanded comslournesa, health, and prsopal pow” reve to Aer de pital cro of the snes, Americans have re treated to purely personal preoccupations: Having no hope of proving the Ses any oft ways tht mater, people have Snvinced themselves thet what matters is psyehic self improvement gving in touch with dei feelings eating health ite, taking lessor tn ballet or belly-dancng,smersing them. ‘ches in the wind of the Bast, jgging,learing how 0 Fe inte overcoming the ear of pleasure" Hares in shemselves, these pursuits elevated oa program and wrapped inthe rhetoric ‘lted pion yb esse Sep” Stn So ing Trego nrev ee bacn ener ye comet pce at gh fn ee exec copes” The Assrenex Movement and he Sail Inoesion tbe Self + § fzuhenty and awareness sign a rere rom polit and tepulisionof the ecnt pst. Indesd American seam twa to forget not ely the sites theres the new ey te dstpdons ‘Sollege campuses, Vicon, Wetegate, andthe Nien pea “ey, bor ther em calactive psy even inthe epic fet In'which iw celebrated dung the Bcenennal Woy Al Ic's movi Spor, eed in 197% accurately caugit the mb oF the seve. Appropriately cat inthe form of pated of fr toric cence ction, the in Bde spent many whys toconey the mevage that “plies stone dot work ay Allen aly trounce sone point: When sed wat e Belcvesn, Ales, faving eu! oot politics, eligi, and science, declares “I be: lee to Sex end det -rwo experiences the come once He “To liv for the moment i he prevling psson—tolive for yourself ne for your predecetor or poserty, We are ast ing the sens of histor eotiniy the sense of belungang toa Stzcsson of generations originating ithe past and steehog io the ute Tis he waning of the sate of historia ines ‘Panic, the erin of any sng concen fo ponte aha ‘singuishes the sprites eri ofthe sevete fom eather out teen of milena clin, ro which bers x sperfere semblance Many commentators have seized om this eoblne rt means of undrstandig the contemporary “ela revels fon." ignorng te estore: that distingush rom the the pare A ew yeu oy Les Feder pci | "New ‘Age of Fain” Mote resttly, Tom Wole has interred the few narcisim ae 4 “hid great swskening an oetbeak of Organic erat religoty. jn ougen sn book that seems preset lel smoltneousiy ss crtaqe und» celebration of ontemporaty decadence, compares the Curent nod to the i Tenia ef the waning Madde Ages “The tac of the Middle Age are net much diferent rom thoe ofthe poe he writes Then 5 ox scl upheaval gave rie t"eeonron ‘Cerin weld cin ing wore eae ee 6: The Galareof Norio Both Hougon and Wolfe insvertenly provide evidence, owen, tht underioes x rdiiosinerpretation of the "con ‘Clouness movement" Hougsnttees tha survivals become the emchword ofthe seve” and “ollesive nari he {Sominant dapostin. Since "ie sie” har tre makes fence co lve only forthe moment. 0 Fix our eyes on our own “pave perirmane” to ben ones oo own deck tee the tudes Borsa ssocted with mlleacan ou rate; Satcenth-centary”Anabapens awaited the apoealypee ‘ovis ouncendenal lfatention bat wth conceded cence forthe gold age wus expected to inaugurate. Nor Ne they indent to te pre Ancient popula tations of The sleeping hinge leader wo wil retro his people and estore ost golden age—snformed the mllenarian movements of tha per. he Revltonsy of the Upper Rie, anonymous tor ofthe Bo of land Chapt, dared," The Germans nce eld the whole word in tht hands and hey wil do so Sain, and with more power than ever” He predicted thatthe ‘Surrecred Frederic I “Emperor of the Lat Days would e- inst the primitive German ion, move the eaptal of Chis {Codon fom ome to Tren bolic pate propeny, snd level fiinctons beween rich snd poor ‘Such tad, oen sowie with national resistance co foreign conquest, have fourahed at any times and in any Forms, inching the Chita sion ofthe Lar Jedgment. Tht ‘glean oo preudostoral content sggets that even the ‘Hos redcalyobcrverdly egins of the ps expressed s hope ‘Tool justice ads sense of continuity wit eather generations “Te snes ote ales carscterte the survivalist mental ty of the seven. The “world vw emerging meng ws.” Wits Sse Mann ceoors“slly onthe sind hat iva Ur hel arise gd." In an temp to iden the pec Fe ‘ores of contemporary rligiosty, Tom Wolle himself notes that The Acsrenes Movement and the Sais! Inston f the Self 7 “most people, historically, have not lived their ives as if thinking, “Ihave nly oe ite to lve" Tstead they have lived if they a living thee ancestors lives and ther offspring’ lives." These observations go very clos othe hear ofthe mater, bu they ell {hte question in characters the new nace ar thi few awakening ® The Therapeutic Sensibility The cootemporary climate is therapeutic, not religion. People today hunger not for personel 'svation et aloe forthe restoration ofan caler golden ge, but fr the feling, the momentary illusion, of person welling Fealth and poychic securty. Even the radian of the ses served for many’ of those who embraced for personal rather ‘oan politi easons, not asa subsite religion bus at «form of therapy. Radial poles filled empty lives, provided» scae of| ening and purge Inher memo of tc Weathermen, Ssan Stern described their stration in lnnguage that owes tore to [pychtey sd medicine tan rlgon. When seed weve “rat National Convention in Chieag, the wrote fstead shout the state ofher health "I fee gud. Tcl feel ny boy sapple tnd strong and slim, and ready co ran siles, snd my legs avo ‘Se_and swift under me""A few pages later, she says fe tea." Repeately she explains that ssocaton ‘with important rope made her fel important. "I fee T war pat of a vt ne ‘work of intense, exciting and brilline people "When the leaders she ilelized disappointed her, as they says did, she looked for few heroes to take thelr pce, hoping to warn herein thet “orianee™ and to overcome her fesling of isigifican In ‘cir presence, she ocasionaly fel "strong and solid”—anly to Asam exmpl of he ew Spit, nich pitt vew fe FE ie Stream are Bate sg Scie es nl go od ane ey wy it feta gar you cabo poplar sap open Ou Le tad = The Calere of Narision fod herself repelled, when divenshantnet sein agtn, by the STrogance” of those whe she nd previously admired, by "heir ‘omempt fr everyone around them." Ninny ofthe det in Sterns acco ofthe Weathermen would Be familiar to stunts ofthe revothnary mentality im ‘inlet epochs: the feror of her revolutionary mitment, the group endless dspues aboot fine points of polis! dogma, the cts sslf-critcm to which members ofthe act were con- ‘enly exhoged,theatempe to remodel every facet of one's hie i contormay with the revolutionary fth. But every revol- tionary movernent partake ofthe exlsre of it ime, and this one ‘omtinedclments that immediately Wentfed i aba product of ‘Rimrcan soley in an age of diminishing expectations The w- ‘mosphere in which the Weathermen Hved™an amospher of vir Tenet, danger, droge, sexoal promiscuity. moral and paychic ‘hnor_setel tv nh roms a older Fennonary tata Som the tml adware agua of contenoray ‘Rmorce er posceputon ith the tat ofr payee hel {peter sith Ber dependence on sere fra seme of slo, Aimingsish Susan Stern from the kind of religious seeker who {nsf plier to Bad scalar salvation, She needed 9c {aban ae sentiy, nto submerge her dnt in age nse. ‘The marl ilo aso inthe feo quay of biel, {hom an carer ype af American invuaie, the "American ‘Aduat salysad by R. WB. Lewis, Quentin Anderson, ME hae Rogin, and hy ninetcenh-cenury abwerers ike Tocque- Wile, The contemporary nari bears + supefia resem- lance, in bir sei-tbsorpton and dcksions of grandeur, to the peril sls offen elebrted in mieteentvcentry AMET caneerature, The American Adam, like his descendant today, Sought to free himset from the pas and wo extablsh what Emer- fon calcd "an origina! ato the univers” Nineteeth-eo fury writers and orators restated agai and again, ina gest var ‘ty of forme Jelfenon' doctrine tht the ext belongs 0 the {Slog ‘The break win Europe, the aobrion of primogennure, tnd the loweness of family tex gave submance to ther beh {even fit was fay a isin) tat Americas, lone among the peopl of he worl, could exape the entangling Infvence of he ‘The Ascarenas Movement andthe Saat Dron ofthe Saf 9 past. They imagine, according t0 Tocqueville, that “hee whole ‘esiny iin their own hands" Social sondtions tm the United States) Foequevle wrote, severed the te that formerly United broken and che wack of generations effaced, Thos who went tefore ate soon forte of thore who wll come ater, o one has any en the mere of at Je confined to thse ln ee roping to himself Some cis hive descr the aris ofthe 1970 in similar language. The new therapies spawned bythe human tential movement cording to Peter Marin, teach that thea ‘dual will all poverfal and totally determines one’ fate hus they intensify the isolation of the sel" This line of argument telongs to. 2 wel-exablahed "Ametican radtion of soci thought. Maria's plea for recogoton of “the immease made round of human communiey" reall Van Wye Broske, whe Etciaed the New England cransendentaists for ignoring “the {ena middle grou of haman raion,” Byoks betsll. wher Be formulated his ow indicrment of American culture, drew on Such caer erties ss Santayana, Henry James, Orestes Brown Son, and Tocquevl* The rca raion they eseblshed sl fas much tellus sbout the evil of untramneled inva, tot it needs to be restated to take account of the dilferences be See ineentceniry Adami andthe mri for ‘own time. The eritque of “privat,” though i helps to Sie the need for ommuniy, has become more und mute ti leading asthe possblty of genuine privacy recedes. The com: temporary Americas may have filed, likc hie predecessors, toe tab any sort of eammon if, but the integrating tendencies of ‘oder industrial ity hae atthe same te undermied bit isolation.” Having urrendered most of his tchnial lle tothe “Srp sink Conse wom cere werk 12: The Catare of Nerinion the development of harsh, punitive superego tha derives most ‘tits poyelc energy nthe absence of authoritative soil pro Bion, Frm the destructive, aggresive impulses within the 3 ‘Unconslos trata slenent nthe superego come to mie frets operation Ae suthriy figures im meer society Tose the “eres” the superego in individ increstng'y ern am the sis pie na abs Bi pet Tamasee charged with adie. rage—rather than from in Cermalied ago leas formed by later experience with loved and respected dels of soca conduct” = The sgh mini pach equiv na iy demands submission to the roles of soa iereouse DO refuses fo pound those rules ins cade of moral cndvet encourages + Sm of arin tt fs ea common wh the pe tnary nrcsim ofthe joperial self Archaic ements inereas In dont pony sare antes bc the words of Mores Dike, "toward a passive ad primeval RACTNSGhich the word semi unreal, storm" The pomanial expeicnce- devouring imperial regress ino t frase nasty is ada le ir oriter wer in Nog, "where everyting ds i wraysoon orc Ivcin en te enrance, nding god 5 Theyre shoved in Icog and noing. Uhave been slowly i= solving nots envi.” ‘Seca ny sep merce ayo se cy tabs pernge ts comiy aly ier egret oa The Asarencs Movement andthe Saat Ioason of the Sf 13 Plagued by anxiety, depression, vague discontent, «sense of laner emptiness, the "peychologe man" ofthe weit sone tiny seeks neither individual seltagqrandicement nor spiton] tsanscendence bur peace of mind, under conditions that rear, ‘ugly iltate agains ic. Therapists, now press or popullr preachers of selfhelp or models of ces ike the captsite tin, ‘astry, become his peincipal allies nthe struggle for componitey ‘ms turns to them in the hope of achieving the modern equal ‘of salvation, “mental heath.” Therspy has established icles the successor both to rugged individualism and t religion, ber this does not mean thet the "iumph of the therapestic® has ‘come «new religion in ies own right, ‘Therapy constants th tirligion, no aways tobe sure becase i adogeres to eto planation or scentibe method of healings as ks prcttoneee would have us belive, bor because modem society “has no fi ‘are and therefore gives no thought to anything Beyond its ie smite needs. Even when therapists speak ofthe need or "neaning” and “love,” they define love and ineening simpy ay the flfliment ofthe patient's emotional requicmen Kady ‘crs tothem—nor is there any reason wh it should, give the ‘ture ofthe therapeu enterprise to encourage the abject to subordinate his needs and interests to those of others, to someone ‘orsome case or tradition outside himself. "Love" as self sucrioe “or selfabascnent, “meaning” a sbmistion tow higher loyteye thes sublimation trike che therapeutic sensibly intolerably ‘pytessive offensive to common sence snd injurious tn persnal hath nd well-being. To liberate humanity from such outmoded ideas of love and duty bas become the mission of the, Pant Freudian therapies and particulary oftheir converts snd poplar. izes, for whom mental health means the overthrow of mbites and the immediate gratifeaton of every impulse, From Politics to Self Examination Having displaced religion ‘asthe organizing inmework of Americas culture the therapeutic ‘urlook threxens w displce police as well the lst rege of ology. Bureauercy tansforms collective grievances in pets aceite 1 5 The Calero Nasi sonal problems amenable to therapestic intervention; in elaije ing ths proces this trvaeatn of poll conf. the ne Ie ofthe sities made on fe most Enporant contrib politcal understanding. Inthe seventies, however, any former Fadia hive themselves embraced the therspeuse sensibly, Remic Davis leaves rates! politics to follow the teenage gure, “Mahar Je Abbie Hitman formes leader of the Yippee ides thats more imporeat to gt hs own ead optics {© move mules Hr onetime sca, Jerry Rubi, having Feached the dead age of thiny sc hav oud himself ace toface with his private fears and anactin,eaves rom New York t0 San Francie, where he shop srscoucly-on an apparent inexhaustibe income the spirits spermarkes ofthe Wes Cos. five yeas,” Rabin sy "on OTT to 198, Licey npeiened est, gestalt therapy, bloenrgei, oling; massage, Foasing, health foods, atch, Ealen, ypnetion, moder dares, Iediation, Siva Mind Control, Aria scupunstre, se ther Pr, Reichian therapy, and More Howse seorgasbord course te New Consciosnen™ In his copy tiled memo, Going (Up) at Thirty en, bin els the ary ie te erage ‘Alter year of neletng his body, he grve himself persion to te heathy” and uieLy let thity founds Hest fous fing, yous, sauna baths, chiropractor, snd acupuncturist hase in hie iy even he wine Spal ro ‘ess proved equalygraufying and paises. Te shed hs pee {he troy sein he “ade ve eee love myself enough 30 that I'do nor need trate to make me Seppy.” He eame to understand that his revolutionary pelle: concealed a “puritan conditening.* which ocoonaly me Hse ‘easy about his elebrity adits material toward, No stemuoes Boch exertion seem wo have been required to coneince Rain {nis O:K. to ejay the rewards of He that money brings. "He feared to pot set" hr proper place” and to ey with investing th “symbian Under he ff nee of + suecesnn of pryhic bessy he raged spit his Bent nd the righteous, punitive udp” within himsele ven, {sal etning o forgive hie parents snd his superego. He cat ‘iti shaved his betel, and ied what Tne Now “em mania! The Acorns Mov andthe Sue Inston ofthe Sep « 15 {erstrooms and noone knew who Fwas, because didn’ there inage of me Tae thiry ve but Thad aca Rubin secs his journey into myself as pantie nesiecious. test movement” ofthe seventies, Yet this “mane ele ae to he produced fw ination of el undencang a sera or caletve.Seitavarnes remains mined henge lcs: Rubin dicoses the femal in me," the ne one tact lew of homosemuliy td the eed te Seake ee wth his pues, 0 these commonplaces represented areas ss fn the hua cn A lel mip ot {he common coin sseltcortesed “media ent” sed eet it he sme hat less charaer at and ake oe for his heron write, “Ncw Son «pen Secase Iwas pepopandince sti i te 2 aly sc” Inte, be atemped wo reas te Prosraring of chidhod.” by convincing enc tee tn dsononing wil prove the hss br ad as stems che ed iy ing bret ae avis in the snes and hr errent peepee ae ov Uy and “fstings™ Like many eerie an ee Sosy a schangg coment teceune epi Sout wih egal diegeafh Sgye 3 relge fo the wr fhe nner nee ‘sal Bal Zig. hw te fii Ime fs beaone communion caged tian feymesedbenvaerofamecy prime ie Act et con frie haces rencontre. 26 « The Culaveo Norio Yer the new Jefe (unlike the ol let) did begin vo adres this ‘ene, in the brief period of ts Howering in the midst. In those years, there was growing recognition —by no meanscon- fino to thowe associated wit the new litthat personal rt on tthe scale it has now assumed represents 2 pies issue in sow right and hit a thoroughgoing analysis of modern society and politics has to explain among other things why personal growth Lind development have become so ard to accomplish, why the fear of growing up and aging haunts our society, why personal relations have become so brite and precarious; and why the “inner life no longer offers any refuge from the danger around us. The emergence inthe sates of «new Inerry form, combin- ing cultural eiism, poitial reportage, and reminiscence rep- "resented an atempt ro cxplore these iesvee—toilminate te ie fersection of personal Ie and. polities, history and. private Experience. Books lke Norman Mailer Armia of he Nigh 03 “posing ofthe convention of journalistic objectivity, often pee femed more deeply ino event than accounts writen yt. legedly impatial observere The tin of the period, ia vbich the write made no effort conceal hie presence or point of view, ‘demonstrated how the act of wing could become 2 subj for Seton in is own right. Cultural rtciem took ons personal and utobiograplial character, which ae worst degenerated it {ldiepiy txts best showed thet the atempt to undertand Cleare hott include analyse of the way i shapes the etic’ ‘own consionsness Political upheavals injected themscrer ito very disesion and made it impossible to sgnoe the connections ‘between cultare snd polities. BY undermining te sion of ul tre a separate snd autonomous development unin enced by the distribution of wealth and power, the plitcl upheaval af the sinties also tended to undermine the distinction between high cu {ure and poplar cutute and to make popular culture an objet of ‘rou decision Confesion umd Anticunfssion Toe popularhy ofthe con sonal mode testifies, ofcourse, tothe nw narcissism that uns all rr a he Aarne Mocomen and the Sail Imowion of the Self «19 throogh American cure; but the best workin tht ve temps, rece through slediuclowre to achieve acca ie tence from the self nd 0 gain sigh lato te hick force ‘epee in prychologia! form, font hive made te ery oa peat eattod ieregly problema: The mere sel siie ing already presupposes sceain detachment fom the self and the object etion of ones own experience, ay prychiti stag ‘fears have shown, makes pnb foe the dep sures of grainy and exhibtionism—acr beng appropitly sie initrd timed, and neutralized eo) nd accesso sess Ye the iereasingieepencrton of fon, oaraliom, sa tobiograply undeniably indicates that many’ wetrs Bad me {nd ore itu acieve the deuchmenendieenctle tooo insea oftonazng peronal mara or otherwise reordering ic they have taken to presctingicundigestedeavng te eee fare a his own imerpretons. Intend of working thre thet memeres, many weer ow tly on mere sareeor seep th rendered speaing nots Untandng bt toh salacouscurioaty abut the privat lives of oe re, In Mailers works nd hone of ic many imitators, what Beg 4 crt refection on the wesers own ambition, fsa ae Inowledged av bid Yor itera imma, often end ies {ruber nonclgue, with the writer trading oa his ow ee ‘and og page ae pge wth mater Iavng other hoo atention than ts association with» Famous name, Ones having browghe himself ro pubs atcaton the wre eggs readyeae market for tre sontestons. Thus Eves og oer ‘inning an audience by wring swt sex witha le eng ae 4 soan itmedintely prodr sethor nove abou © yoy ‘etm whe becomes ery celeb Ehietiasamesomsnmnenneraeeae inary sef-abeervation and empathy." ee The Calero Navision [Even the best of the confesional writers walk fine line be tween slfanalyss and sel-indulgence, Their tooke—Mailr's (Advertnoents for Mitel, Nornan Podhoce's Making 1e, Philip ‘Rots Porm Complaie, Pal Zeige The Journey, Frederick Exley's Far’ Noe—waver between hard-won personal revel thon, chastened by the anguish wth which ras gained, ad the ind of spurious confestin whose only claim tthe readers t= tention i hac describes events of immediate interest othe au thor. On the verge ofan insight, these writers een draw back, lino selepurody, seeking to disarm erties by aniipating ‘They try to charm the reader inrend of claiming significance for ‘their narrative. They uae humor not 3b much t detach them fcives from the material arto ingratitethemse ves, t© ge the feader's attention withovt asking him t0 take le writer of his fubjor seriously. Many of Densld Barthelme’ stories, so bil liane and so ofien moving in their "Critique de Is Vie Quo tidienme," suffer because of Barthelme's inability oFesist an easy Ibtgh, In “Perpetus,” for example, his stite ofthe newly toreed, with their time-kiling scability and peeudaiberte fests," collapses Inco pointless humor. er the concent she. put om er Bde jeans er shir made of luca estore scarves sewn peter her ore ad eck see, ad Perpena could sot remember what was tis year what was lest year Hed smb ast happened, o adit happene sag tire a0? Spe enet many new prope "You ae deren.” Porpeta si to Sumy Ming "Vay fu pi ow wear asa the dof Ma ‘Woody Allen, a masterfol parodit of therapeutic clichés and the selfabrorpion from which they arse, often subverts his 0 ideas withthe perfunctory, mandatory, self deprestory humor ‘that har sel Become 10 much » part of the American convers tional style, In his parodies of pseudo-introspetion in a work Withos Featerewithout hope~Alen undermines irony. with joker tht overfiow all 00 abundantly from sliniless ply The Acsarenes Movement and the Saat Invsion of te Sef «19° Ged Lod, why am Tso guy? Ie because T hated my father? Probe. sytem eer cn Wal wht ig wate. What asad ma! When my Hest play Cat for Gas wat Predost the Lyceum, he atended opening gots vy sea oe We above death 1 bothers me 20 much? Fray the hours akc he oop ity eal Half centr. Next ea, il) te'iy-oe. Them yt Cnn ths sume reg he ool ages is age 9 ach a ie ere te foe a ‘The confessional form allows an honest writer like Exley or 2Zyciw prove warowing cont of he pal deion fe tomny bo abo alles acy eter iige e inl of immodest scfreveaion whe ultimately Mees mor than cade.” The narcosis poco insigh ine hive oes son, usally expend in pyehn sc, eve him 9 Irene of dectingertcvm and dicaiming fesponlay or hivacons am svare tht tis bok states staan ase anit," wats Den Greenber in his Sag Ss Ms sir "Wel, what can Utell yous ©. mean thats what ve ‘ems hat ele new? Fim not condoning the aude, Fa ‘el coring” At Gn poi Greg debs how fe inade love cox woman who ha collapsed int sete And could not defend hers nly to inform he reer oe tex chapter, that “here wasnt singh re ig” in his case or yo est ht? Ay gM ha ec ng Trejo liad nd may o's eng i at ioc at oy ae, | Met Siioriee, 4 Sere Whie, Donsld Barthelme resons to similar device, “which agnin implicates the ender nthe wrtersiovention. lathe idle of the book, the reader finds « questionssite slicing his 20 : The Caltre of Narcion eee Steyn which the nutor ha departed fom the igi ary ERASE hese sete sete stue gnc smgnnhocic fe Cnet aoe ig Cie et SC'AR semen sn Sect ected tee rae Spl sos ty a Sy tieion between truth and sion, he asks the rede to eve Sareriearteeara easements Sr iatr neater eaat re eh er a The Acsrenes Movement ond the Saal Iason of the Sfp: 24 tare his nner srugls in the bei tha dey terested sono 0¢ te lager world. Today the ants Seber ‘tc notable only fr ‘heir uter banat. Woy Al ee prc of Van Gopi ery to hi one neh te ae ies» desist preccespid with “oral propia nal work, and “the proper wy to brush Tae vgage ee Ineo dicoves nothing but « Han, The writer no eee Ie reflected his own mind. Jus che opposer te ees ae ov ever int rpines, a3 mirror of Wiel. neg sinner experienes, he orks no to prove as obcee Siemon cee ay ba osc se ging him their atten, scan, or aympathy and thane Shore up hi faesing sen of set, me The Void Within tm pe ofthe defenses wth which conten Ia contin sound thst he ods oe Se Side gins inthe mnguih hat gs nic eng See pyeie peace. Paul Zep spel of his gouge owing toa fith, tha my he wa ong) cd othe cei ache which lod uti wu Sno shiny“ he persiting “apc of posal empens ie ny aking tod my aaiur sepa on ck decorate, bt den enero cnen tame cee a ie vein Feder Esky wren “Wee orn an have calnated he nmin oon, in scroa a ee without in my unhappy ese, the ability to harness and ance ‘The mat medi, with theca of celebrity snd thir atempe & surwund i with glamour and exeemen, ane mete Nee ‘ans «ation of fans, moviegoers. The med give aban and ths itesity nari dress of fame ad por ceca age the common man to Wenily himself withthe sees ess {he herd," make more and ture sifeuh for hig soeeene the buna of everyday exitece: Frank Gilford sod te Ne York Giants, Exley wees “sontsned ov me the illsgen te fear pldleertirsody (hoes Sree eee a iees are Tike Michaclngelo's God reaching out to Adam, Tat nothing ih, aT wanes, eehg The maa en Ett nd mae tannery the apg rs Coma! poems bat a enue is sina masse ane psec ansee comets ‘too af there intervie coves Eaey hime far ore ha ‘tthe rent men ofthe went century "fifty year of rlent haem cesta ere ‘isrious importance on his Iicrary admirers and posthumous eee a The Awareness Movement and te Sa Ioasion eh Sof: 28 consciousness, the same attempt to live vicariously. though sahets nore brillant than oneselE. Susan Stern give the mpaee son that she gravitated to the Weathermen beeane ssceeee swith mafia tars ike Mark Rud and Bienadine Dura made har feel tha she had finally found her “niche in hfe” Doles prewsed bea a“queen,”a high rests” hone Spender sh iy” set er apart fom the “secondary” and "aed anion leadership" of SDS. “Whatever quality she pores Toone ie wart to be cherished and respected os Bernadine os When th eri of the Seattle 7 made Stem + medin cele nr herown ight, she found hersel"someone” at ast “tocar thee rere so many people hanging around ie, ashing me este, looking t» me for answers or just ooking se me, osdng things forme, to get some ofthe glow fromthe Helgi Nay in her “prime,” she imagined erst ad tied to impos eae 1 “ashy and vulgar, hard and funny, aggressive and deseo, “Wherever I went people loved me.” Hef cmincncr isthe ne vislnt wing of the American fl enabled her to acy bela lange audience, the fantasy of destructive rage that saderiag het desir for fame, She imagined herself an avenging Fury a Aone, ona Walkie. On the wall of he hous, she patel “an cghe, foot tall nade woman with Sowing gren-blond har nas hee lng American Hag coming ot of het catIn het aed eney se says she “had pained what I wanted tobe somewhere dey im my mind; tll and blond, nde and armed, consuming. ee ischarging—s burning Ameria” [Nether drugs nor fanasie of destruction—cvee when the fantasies are objetifed in “revolutionary prano’appene the inner bungee from which they spring. Peronal cations oon ‘0 reflect glory, on the need to admire and he are, prose Aecting ard insvistasal. Stern's friendships and bee’ eae sually ended in dislsionmene, animosity. vetimitaton, ie somphins fa inability ofel anything“ geew more oven he side, morc animated cutie.” Although here revolted aca politics, the politics world has no reality i ber memuts it igues ‘only a8 pojecton of her own rage an unesse, «drm of ‘HY and velence. Many other books of our tine, even books ar the producto politcal uphewal, convey the Same tose ote [| 24: The Cultre of Navision SCHEER ate rent serine gt cae Bee? eee fay vey Pantego er sith ene helen ale Tengen pans i unger seriehs Sh ee hep wa aie naka Deeg tps ties Sree it fetes ce ne i beng nh tain ee Tin oie ea Tanne seat age i cA dann ae pe pace ec eet tea Sse a on eta ta See Re Bay oar ae city eset dak a ne wy ane ‘sito mek the angih nse nome po bl of Noe Dane Srarlbeegea atch certo Eisele a Siege trie Ses patnperve ty tay prcnidand ered wits Socitareeata. oer th el eters magne cance emvanaite comes Selig ea ee pnt ie epic feet capa te iy Cakes atone et ines ae ‘The Acres Movement andthe Saal Ison f the lp 95 $m oobody, that my identity has collapsed and deep dove, ag anes there Ie remains for Swan Mettanandae sp ee fovored by New Yorkers search of spire! beaker ee Zac ow to put bis “doubletosteep. Babee rane ee [he fly of mental process” Unie i eta, Bane ‘us experienced "ihe dliiom of relese>" Like Jory Beko {bus his "cur thi ferting of being “hen eo Res {ote destruction of hs poetic elect “No Uren eat ‘he libro selene hha anesthe thee Seco bch i “conructd of mental buspnens plat ee secssive hiking an propeid yan ed er by Te Progresive Critique of Privatom ‘The population of Beyehr: mde of hough, the send of thew ein ns movemer, the dream of fame and the sngenha faut, which all give added urgency tothe aor fe tenet have given way to the search forrelf-fuldllmene, Necnten hee become ne ofthe central theme of Americas cute Hougan, Tom Wolfe, Peer Mt Sand Sen Eaiwin Sehr, Riched Sen, "gorouly than ts used in popular socal erteen ae ae ‘sttrenest oft clinical imphessees tesa anterporay aris and ofthe new theapeaio sensibly misteny condemn the prychisnne cence ee SPINE ofthe wpper middle cus Seieatnorption mans Marin, insult afcen Americas gana he Ronen {hem gave ric ijusice ind ese ther older scence." Schur stacks the awareness crate one eee tothe welbiodo neglects those of {he poor, ahd converts “social discomcnt ty meee get ‘wag. "He thins eriminalforswhite wae cece 26 Th Caltare of Navision oe to become complacent sl preoccupied while dee les for Se ow Aris sapped are” Bu he se Stn ihe rss monn pane ae ram complacency tnt fats desertion; nor this desperation ented tthe mda ca, Shr soem to ink that tet Sem provisional character of persona elton ra problem only foraitucn exccusver always onthe move: Are we tobe things are iflerene song the por that workings matiges ite happy and re of conc? that the phat fe se, ining and noamanpaive endo Sut of leh Mave epenteiy shown tat povery undermines nog a fcndchip The collar of personal ie originates nti he ‘onl torments of fftence urn the war of ll against al whch iow spreading om the lower clas where ths long raged ‘hour erupio, to thereof sce ecru the new therapies newly pensive, Schur mates the ital of supposing tho they nes problems that cones the rh abe unl are nkeremly tial sad “anred." He nit ‘Stes ies ike George and Nena O'Neil he aporties of pe tuasnge for takingesn iereiyethnocenti iw of pera {is apparently Died on their own snddleclssvlaer dex ince = ever ours exper in awareness, he compli, Fin toni eee ght ip encom’ nro avoid eto bin with” Thee experts write aif soil clases {SE cnc id nt ena Forties, Sehr fe hard {Ciimagine thatthe swarenee monement, in pte of aempt C0 populate though inexpensive mana and fee cin, ll Exe hoe noch appeal othe pro Clay, is concvale het ven # por pers might fe somewbat ‘Sr bpeval af sme ofthe new srlereaiation techies, Bat st Tappinees would tend to te shorcined. Seced nin (ching he proc the por wou ely be dvened fom te ‘more gen ako real elective teres ove urges a of advancing toe el 2a tcting ep an oversimplied oppskin betwee sued and pea owt See gee te that tl a “Gasset pnt hemes abo penn ones There Said’ secede pro expec, i The Acsrenes Movement andthe ScialImation ofthe Seif: 27 color the way we perceive it Experiences of inner emptiness, loneliness and inauthentic are by no metne aves or ft that matter, deveid of socal content; nor do they aie fom exch, sively middle. and upper-class ving conditions." They. aise from the warlike conditions that pervade American society, rom the dangers and wncerainy tht surround us, and from 2 lst a ‘afidence inthe futue- The poor have always had to efor the present, but now a desperate concern for personal survival, some ‘mes disguised as hedonism, engulfs the mide canst wll, Schur himself nots that “what seems ulimaely to emerge ‘0 of this very mixed message i an ethic of self preservation’ Bu his condemnation ofthe survival ethic as retrec ino privat, ism” misses the point. When personal relations are conducted with no other objec than psychic survival, “privatism™ no longer provides a haven fom heaeless work. On the contrary, private life thes onthe very qualities of the anarchic social evden “which itis supposed we provide a refuge. Iris the devastation of Petsonal life, no the reeat into private, that neds oe ‘Sze ad condemned. The touble with the consciousness uve. ‘ment ioe that it addresses valor unreal sues bu the Po vides “selfdefeuting. solutions. Arising “ut of. pervinive Aisatisfieton with the quallty of personal relations, R adeses People not make tolarge an ivestment in lowe ad rent te aoid excessive dependence om others, and to live forthe Mb Iment—the very conditims that create the eis of personel fla: ‘ns in te Bee pce The Criige of Priatom: Richard Sennett on the Fal Pei in “ctked Stat ee EL ‘she and penetrating than Schr ins ene ta ae he ery opposite of strong se love peseehless impli evaluation ofthe pestal eal, The best ng the Wesern cultural trainin Seats view, derive fom the ‘anions that one pla inna rans yea ‘Tse comvenns now sondenad a coring, adil and deadening to emeinal spomtancty, formerly sabe 28 The Cuber f Navision civilized boundaries between peoples iit onthe public dis Ply cf feclng, sd promote cosopatanis aod ity. Tn Exheentivcntury London or Pars soeibity dot depend Stimimacys “Stanger: meting in the parks or on the Sees ‘Sigh withow emburacsont speak rosach other.” They shared 3Smon fund of public signs which enabled people of unequal tank conducts cvaedcomerstion andr coyperst inpuble jects without feling called pon to expo thee innermost. Solr nthe nleetnin century, however, reicnee broke down and eupl cet blew tht pub actions reveded he inner personaly ofthe ator. The romani culo seen ad Authemiciy fore sway the masks that people once ad worn 0 Fublicand eroded the boundary berween public and privat ie ‘Rsthe public world came robe seen ss. miror ofthe self, peopl aricapeciy for detachment and hence for playfl encote, sch presoppses a seam dance fom hese Tn aur ou time, according to Senet. rlaions in public canceved 3 1 form of wlfteaton, hive become deadly Serius Conversation cakes onthe quality of confer. Class Sceusney declines people peso thei socal poston a 4 ‘efecion of thet own abies ced Blame themselves forthe fences nfted on them, Polis degenerate ins ral not [Grswsal change but for slfesbeaton, When the bounds be thee the selfand the rst of the word lp, the prs of Enlightened self interen, whieh once normed eery phase of Po Iuestwcivigy bosons tops. The pate man ofan ee erage Lnew how totake nko than dear Senne’ enon of ppchoogil matty) and adgrd pies, a he judged el fey generals osc "whac in fr hin rather than Fh” ‘The melts om the ocher hand, "wspendseppinerets” in 2 im of desire Trore inate and suggestive than a bref samomary can indy Sener: angamet has minh teach abot he Portane of el distnce tn ploy and in dramatic cons vtons [Erreaiy. above the pjection of the serch fr sent politi, Sd about the permis eller ofthe elogy of ite Bt Sennett Hen that pois turn on enlightened seF0- tere the coef aislation of personal ad clay advange, ‘The Acsrenex Movement andthe Saal Iason f the Self: 29 handy docs juice to the irational elements that have always Charcteried the relations between dominant aed subordinate ‘esc. I pays to litle hed tothe ability ofthe ich and powers fal to ently their ascendancy with bofty moral principe, ‘which make resistance a crime not only aguinst the sate bus gsnee humanity itself Ruling classes have always sought to in ‘lin thei subordinates the eapaity to experience exploitation tnd mater deprivation as guilt while deceiving themeelves that theie own material teers coincide with those ef mankind as tthote Leaving aside the dubious validity of Senna equation of Soceeseflege functioning with the silty "o tale rather than a ‘esre,” which stems to enshrine rapacty asthe cly erative tornarisiom, the face ie that men have never peteved thee in terest with perfect clarity and have therefore tends, throughout history, to projet ietional aspects of themselves ito the pol ‘al realm. To Blame the irrational features of mocern pies on im, the ideology of intimacy, or the “cure of personal, ot only exaggerates the role of Wdeslogy in Hstrial devel ‘pment bo underestimates the sraionality of pelts er epoch ‘Sennet’ conception of prope politics as the pois of set. interes shares withthe Toequevillen, pluralistic tradition fom ‘hich i evidently dervesanideologieal elemento ts wn, The Tendency ofthis analysis i 0 exalt bourgeni literals ts the only civilized form of politcal life and bourgeois eiiiy" 5 the nly uncorupted for of public conversation. Ere the plo, point of view, the admitted imperfections of bourgeois society ‘Feouin ingcccsnble w pola! correction, since pole pared av inherently’ resin of radical imperecion. Thue ‘when men and woren deiand fundamental aertions ithe por Inia! system, they are realy projecting personal snc ito polit” In this way Ueralism dency Ru seth outer Knot poltial rationality and dimises all attempts te go beyond fi atom, including th entire revolutionary traditon ashe pall ties of nares. Sennet’s adoption ofa Tocqueilian perspec, tive lenses him unable to distinguish between the corvption of adic pitice in the lace 1940s by the irra ements in 'Americin culture and the validity of many radcal gots, Hi 30 The Clare of Nereis ode faa ate elle, all forms of pcs hat Sek cee» somty tot bel on explain, aomaily Sipe tn pte of ts esatn of he poe ie othe pa Scant opps the caren Fea gun ol tiethe revo hts agus te hope hing ps an inaraent of scl change Somat caer rere « dsinaon between pil and prefer moreover, ores the wags whch they are leas imegwined, Toe tliaton of he young rears poli dination atthe ve open cxpertocl Toot ‘en time th ivan pate He by the ces ogee ‘Smut hs become 0 frvaive te premiere Saved ein: Revert cause td fea Senet ener the ‘remporry ml otc avs fh pb sb the ‘egy of intimacy: Fe him aor Maca and Schr the ca ‘ent peoepation wth einen. rye owt ad Cite penal enum pretense aterpn, remand rn rampant tet of wy ese notin the scram opr bs alae ates tows tay far fos gpg te sl choice ds {egratn“Thraies that mirth satire ego ony the sume mesage Our wcay ar oaig pee the “apes ihr ia dep and ang cnt, sta, and marogscrensn'y deo hve. A a ie bxomes more td mare tie ani baba, pero al nthe cancer of bat Some of he new therapies gy ‘ts combats “server ghting fa ve td a Taps Othe crate tmptmuent atc est fms “open marge and “openended commits" “Th they itn the da they pend to cre They do ‘hs ver nt by erage rom sol pole te fern ones, foal uo ake her, ot by abiog ti mil iis ofthe acing=nx he confused wy one pleco elapse expered 2 pup pesos and pte II The Narciss Personality of Our Time [Narciso as Meaplr ofthe Human Condition Reset Seer then mrss fr ny ents efi ‘Eine pen Seems ee he Chimp of le ie tey he te erm mart 0 sy tha eins ie of fy paypal comet Ech From nat en te ee ne eae Ing expend te cve ln of ny” led Sst” ed “elegant {ln eet prt, ee lpr ed icean ete Inte’ words Fem ar he em SSreyn fhe ea sug wih nh veo ope sn “mat” dng, undermines coy EEeey ve anti sec fr wey bysce Nac Shurappae Sly he amber ey koe tess ideeteed “we for te snag) wSvoaed fy Fram vce te ue of sion Fromm’ oestn of ial ad socal nce,” p- prornly pasted see hss doen 0 egos epee camp techno cartes ae re ap mora plates np SSicgns efein sera pr charerid by oarp Sinstpncy tween he ile deseo fn snd ncaa lpm ck st li Nfavcotinal parton ci patolngl moe) ‘Wicca Seaet ents tt ores ht merits SESeicanel thn" sella Fy igh encftne walks cn! tn teagan sete Sow ist tel ve ‘sivas nt From wert wouble orgie in hie 32: The Caltre of Nacison misguided and unnecessary attempt 0 rescue Freud's thought ftom its mechanistic” ninetenth-century basis and to press it into the service of humanistic realm." In practice, this means that theoretical igor gives wy te etiallyupliing sane and Sentiments. Fromm notes in pasting that Freud's orginal concept ‘of naresssm assumed that hihi begins inthe eps, ae 2 reat Feseroir” of undiferentated seilove, wheres i 1022 he de ‘ied, on the contrary, that "we mus recognize the Haste gest Feseroir of the Hbade.” Fromm slides over this sue, never, by remarking, “The theorsiel question whether the libido starts ceriginally inthe ego or inthe di of no subaniliporance for the meshing of the concept (of narcissism) fel” In fact the ‘sructural theory ofthe mind, set forth by Fred in Grp Peel (4 and in The Ege and eI, required todifestons of hx carr iMeas that havea great deal of bearing the theory of narisism, Structural theory made Pred aban he simp dich) be {secon intinet and consciousness and revopnce the unconcils tlements of the egy and superego, the smportance nf mmsenal Iimpolses (aggression or the “death instinct) and the alliance be teen superego and id, superegy and aggression, These discover ies in turn made ponvble'sn understanding wf thereof ject Felations inthe development of nacisss, thercy revealing nar isssm as esentally x defense agnne aggressive ypules Father than sll ove “Theoretical precson about narcissism is important not only lucause the idee Is so ready suncepeie wo moralistic ination hho because she practice of equating narcissism with everything selish and disarecable mites sprint hires! speek Men have always been sesh, qroupr have always been th nocentric: thing i guned ly giving these qualities» payee label! The emergence of character disorders asthe most pro ren frm af penne pathsigy, hewrvers wget hh the hange in persoaleynructre ths dovlapmnnt refers, derives from quite specie changes in ir sclety and elvre—frnm bo rezucreey, the proliferation of mages therapeutic Wdeolgics, the fationalzaion i the snner lif, the cule nf consumption, an fo the lst analysis from changes in family life and frown changing Ditters of socialization. All thie disappears from sight if nares The Nerisinie Perna of Our Tne : 33 sis becores simply “the metaphor ofthe human condio in another existential, humanistic interpretation, Shirly Soyer ‘an Sin and Madmen? Seadar in Nari. he fetal of recent erties of marccsism to discuss the et logy of narcssisn orto pay mach attention t the growing bay ‘of elinialveting on the subject probably represents a deliberate Secision, Semming from the fear that emphasis on the chica “speets ofthe naresstie syndrome would detract from he on expt wseftlnss in social analysis, This decison, however, hes proved to bea mistake. In ignoring the psychological dimension, these wuthars also miss the social They fall 0 explore any ofthe character tats associated with pathological narcissism, which in less extreme form appear in such profusion in the everyaiy feof ‘ur age: dependence onthe vicarious warmth provided by ethers combined with «fear of dependence, » sense of inner empties, Tyoundlessyepressed sage, and uneatied oral ravings, No do they discus: what might be ealed the secondary characteris of rnvessism: preudo selsigh, calulating seductivenes, ner ‘ous, selfdepreatory humor. ‘Thor they deprive theives of {ny basis on which to make connections between te nanan etsonality type and certain characteristic patterns of coatempo Fry culture, sch 2 the intense fear of old age and death alered Sense of tne, fascination with cekbrity, far of competion, decne ofthe play spine, deteriorating relations between men and ‘women. Fo" these erties, arcesem remains ie love ye Cony for ‘lfishness and a ie most precise metaploty and ‘nothing more, that deserbes the sate of mind in which he world ppears st + mitror ofthe sl Paycbolngy and Sociology Psychoanalysis deals with individ tals, nt wih goups. Eres to generale clinical findings t cok lective behavior always encounter the difelty that groups have 1 lie oftheir owa. The eolective ming, if tere is sucha thing, Feflects the needs ofthe group ars whale, new the peice ff the individual, which in face have to be subordinated so the demands of eolecsive living. Indeed is precisely the subjection 34 The Cabare of Narcision ‘of individual othe group that prychoanalytic theory, through 2 “uy of is psychic repercorions, promises to clarify. By com ‘Gusting an inensive analyse of individual cases that resto ‘Sia evden rather than common-sense impressions, pyelie hala tells something about the inner workings of soe Sel the very act of turning is back on soley and inmersing Telia the mvkdua unconeciou ‘Enery soety reproduces is culare—itsnoems its underlying assumptions i modes of orgeizingexperience—~in the individ {alin the firm of personality. Ar Durkheim said, personality the individ socialized. The proces of socialization, earied out bythe family and secondary by the school and oer agencies of character formation, modies human nature to conform to the prevaling soil norms. Each society tees to solve the universal Bie of thidhondthe auras of separtion from the mother, the fear of shandonment, the pain of competing with others the mother love-in it own way, and the manner i which it [Seaewith these payehie events produces» characteristic orm of personality, 4 sharteteriste form of prychologicl deformation, Ey means clwhich the individual reconciles himself instinctual Adprivation and submis tothe requirements of social existence rend’ insixence onthe continuity between psychic heath and psychic sickness maker tporsible toate neuroses and psychoses {ein some ens the charsterisc expression of given culture “agchonsg Totes Henry has written the inal outeome ofa ‘hats wrong witha ultare™ ‘Dyychoualysis best clarifies the connection between society and the incividasl, culture and personality, preciely when i ‘onfines itl careful examination of indivsduas. 1 els us Sow about society when it least determined to 50. Freud's ‘htraplation of peychonnalytic pinepies into anthropology his ory and bopraphy ean be safely ignored By the student of soi- ‘ry, but hinclnal investigations const + storehouse of i ppenable iss, ance it is ndertod thatthe unconscious mind Fepresents the modifation of natore by ealture, the imprsition ‘of lization instinct Freud shuld not be reproached [wrote T. W. Adorno or haing (Gece he nesses dimen ut for eingal esata The Narcisiie Posmay of Our Tine = 35 tie scl oigin of. « ne iity ofthe uneomcous, which he ei sian eyo arse a ‘The hime covred=that ell tniy undergoes dif Pt ering the woconstins—sd i th mile te pong soc fecal ‘emus he murdr of he fate hy the pil here = ‘Those who wish to understand contemporary aacissm a8 social and cultural phenomenon must turn fest to the growing body of elinicl writing onthe subject, which males no elaim to social oe cultural significance and dliberstely repudiates the erin tt "tangs in come moray tree Ovo ribrg writes, ave elfets on patterns of objec lations "F Inthe clini literature, nareissism serves as tore than + mets phori term for seltabsoepion. AS psyehic formation in which rove rejected ene hack to the sel a hated” nares come to be recognized as an important element ithe so-called Sion once given to hysteria and obsessional neuroses Anew hcgereeteeoee ‘heseadsemy i e ol cerayaerti Wc Pee eee ee eer Sen rants fog holed Casa ag ma eennorelyremli al page Fenty ern ae rae gue tun Bes dor oa eran enrmndng i penn sate Ig hi oven pra ona eyo ‘may ant atin pn ana ee er peed oi ‘Salar cuca thc cre lpn Sd eld oc 36 5 The Cabtre of Narciso theory of narcissism has developed, grounded in Freud's wel Inown essay on the subject (which teats narcissist —Hbiina i ‘estment of the sol—an 3 necessary precondition of object hve) tut devored otto primary marissa butt sccondary or patho logical narcsism: the incorporation of grandiose objet ages os 2 defense agit ansiery and gui, Both types of arcs Bir the boundaries beeen the Self andthe word of objets, bat there san important ference between them. The new bora ine fan—the peary narisine—does not yet perceive his mother having an exitenee separate Fim his own, ade therefore i= {thes dependence on the mother, who saisies his needs a ston {they tits, with is own omnipotence. "Te takes several works ‘of postal development before the infant perceives tht the tourer of his need is within and the source of gratieaton is ute he sl Secondary narcsism, on the other hand, “attempts to annal ‘the pain of disappointed [object hve" and to nly the shi ‘age nuit host who do nt respond immediately to hi esd, Aptian thove who are now secn to respond to ocr beside the hid and who therefore appear to Rave abandoned him. Patho logis nrc, "which eannot be considered simply ration atthe level of normal primtve nario” artes only when the oo as developed tothe point of distinguishing sel from sor rounding objets If che child for some rearom experiences this Separation trauma with special intensity, he may stem to ree {abish cartier rlaionstips by cresting in his fataies an om potent mother or father who ergs wid images of his own ef "Through iteration the paint seks to vereste a wished for love relationship which may once have existed snd simul neously to annul the anacty and guilt aroused by aggresive Aries directed agains the frustrating an dsappiting ect.” Narcisom in Recent Clinical Literature The shitting em- phasis in elma studies from primary wo secondary narcissism Feflcts both the shift in psychotnalytic theory for study ofthe i to study ofthe ego ands change inthe type of patents seeking r The Neri Pectmality f Ou Time «37 pyehitric rement Indeed the sit from a psychology of in Fines to go pyeholgy tel! gw partly out of 1 recognition that he patent ho hegun to fsont themselves went in the 140s and 1956 “very aldo resembled the clan eases Fred described so thoroughly" Tn the ls ten ‘ars the brdne pent wn onivonts he phan foe Sith welldeied symprms but with dose issih become increasingly common. He does sot safle om debit. ing ations or phobia or rom the conversion of repressed sex ‘nergy inoervous alent instead he complains vague die {tse issues with Ii and fel hs “tmorpous ence 1 fle and purges." He deserts “tly experienced ‘et pervsine fing of emptiness ssl Apwcesion’” chat ‘tions of selfesteem "aa "general inability get slong” He gains “a serse of heightened seltsteem only OF neachiog himself to strong, adie. igures show accepence e ere And by whom be neds to fl supported” Altwuth he cares ut is dail responaibities adver achcves dination, app ‘es chads him and ife frequently series him as et worth ing Psychoanalysis, therapy that grew out of experience with severely represied and morsly ng ndwiduls who ested to Cornet terms with s igorous incr “Censor aay fads elt Sonironted mote and more fen wah achat and impulses, den charter” mune del with paints who "ac fat thee ‘nfs instead of repressing or sublimating ther ‘These prt "ens, though often sngratiating, tend to clivate a precede Shallowness in motona reltns They ack the cacy (0 ‘mourn because einen ofthe age gansta love cbc in particular aganst ther parents, presets thei reliving happy ‘perience oF resuting them a teeony. Sealy pone ‘ath thn rposd hey nee od dit “io ‘te the sexta plier to approach sex inte pi of ply ‘They avo ene vlvemens whch might lene oo ingsofrage. Ther personae como gly of defense agains she rage and agsns feeling of ora deprivation that orgie > ‘he preOedipal mage of pychic developmen, ten these pattems ser from hypochondria an complain 238 5 The Care of Narciso ss cine cies. Nhe ain ty nein ‘shes of omnipotence sds strong tlie tei Figh fo eno “thers and be psiicd Arcus, punitive, and radanie demets Dredominxe inthe supergor of thre pant ned they confor {soe rls mor out off of pontomors hen rooms of sult. They experience tat own needs and appetites, safe “Sith ages deeply dangerour, snd they throw up tenes hat areas prinkive tthe dees they sek ose Gnrthe principle tha patblogy represents heightened ver son of morality the “pathologie aren’ ound in chars ‘er Gonder of ts tye shoud ell w something sou nate “iim ts oa phenomenon, Satis of pevonlsy dors that ccigy the border ine betwenn newrons and pcos though ween for clinician apd ming no clan to abe ight on wal on cuearal evan depict ype et pero tht ong to be immediatly recogezatle ins trove subloed ore, 100 servers of the comerporny cultural scone: face at managing he impressions he give to othr ravenous fr sdmaration ba om temprunur ofthe he manpltes ito providing wnappena iy hung for cmrtoa experiences wh whic to Al soe ‘eld erste of aging snd sth “The mest contncing explanations ofthe psychic origin of ‘his bodeine syndrome daw om the theoretic tradon {bis by Melanie Klein. In er payehnansyi investigations ‘hile, Kin ducoveed tht car feling of overpowering ge. dicted cpecialy psa the mother and secondary Sguine the otros Sage ofthe mothers ravenous mn ‘Sex, make i imposible for the child to syntheses "pra ad “bapa tage In his far of sgevsson fro the bed ‘arente—pojestions of his wa rge-she eas the ood ‘parents who wll om to the eave Thnematand images of ober, buried in the uconscios ind satan early age, bosome sltimages ss well If ater expertence fsa to qty oro introduce elements of reality int the childs technic fain aboot his paren he nds iil oti {Bish between imager of the sel and of the objets ose the Su. These mages fre to form defense again he ba repre “Seaton of the self and footy sary sed inthe fora The Narisinic Perwmlity of Our Time : 39 harsh punishing supego. Melanie Klein analyzed a ten-yeare ‘ldboy who unconscnsly thought of his mother asa “wanpire ‘x "hore bird” and iteralized this fear as hypechondaia He Stas afraid that the bad presences inside him would devour the fgond ones. The righ separation of good and bad images of thes {df objects, onthe one hand, andthe fusion of sled object images om the oer, are fom the boy ina fo alert tm, binaece o ansity. css his anger was so intense, e could ‘ot admit that he harbored aggresive feclings toward those he lived, “Fear and guil relating to hie destructive, phanesis ‘monled his whole ereton A child wo els sogravely threatened by his own aggresive feelings (projected onto others and then nteralced Sin tt ier “ownsters) atenpts to compensate hime for his Cxper cncesof rope and envy ith fntasies of wealth, beauty and om Sipence: hese anaes, together wits he iterated tages ‘ofthe good parents wih which he attempts to defend himself become the core of “pandioge conception ofthe sell" A ind of “ind optimism,” accoing to Octo Keabergyprtecs the a ise child trom the dangers arvond and! within hilar -por- Sialry from dependerce on others, who are peeved ts wa ‘out enception undependale. “Constant projection ofall Ba lh tnd object images perpetuates» word of dangerous, chremening ‘objets against which the ‘ll god? self images ae wed deen sively and. megelman Heal slf images ste built up The Spliting of images deternind by aggresive felings from images that devve from libiiral impulses makes i imposrbte for te stil o acknowledge his own aggression, t experience gull ‘concern for objects invetedsimultancoly vith aggression and libido, orto mourn for bs abjeas. Depression in tarcctiste ‘seats tkes the form net of mourning with ts admiture of gure described by Freud in “Mourning and Melancholia, but of ap ten rage amd “elings of defen by external forces” ‘Because the inapsjehi world ofthese pti so thinly ‘populated consisting ony ofthe "yrandioe self" n Kerner “words “the devalued, stadowy images of elf and others, and fo ental persecutor”—they experience intense Telingy of ep. ‘Sess and inauthentic, Although the naeisit can functions 440: The Catare of Narcsiom the everyday world and often charms other people (not est with his “pseodoinsight into his personaly), he devaluation of och es, together with his lck of euriosity abou them, impoverises bis personal fe and reinforces the subjective experience of emp tines” Lacking any real intellectual exgegerent withthe wworld—noewithsanding «frequently inflated ceiate oft own, intellecual ables he has lle capacity for sublimation, He therefore depends on others for constant ifustons of approval and admiration. He "must atach himsell someone, living an Simos porastc™ existence. At the same tine, his Tear of ermo- Son dependence, together with hir manipulative, explotive pproschto personal relation, maker ther relations Blan, = perbcinl, and deeply unsatisfying. "The ia relationship #0 me Stould be 2 two month relationship,” said + borderline pater “That way there'd be no commitment. At the end of the 60 ‘months Ta just breaks off." ‘Chronically bored, rertesly in search of instantaneous i= Limaey"of emotional tllation without inwlvemene and depen ‘Sence—the nareisss is promiscuous and often pansesual a well, Since the fusion of pregeital and Ondipal impulses in the service of aggression ‘encourages polymorphous, perversity. ‘The bed Imager be hat ioernalied also make hit chronially uneasy tout his ealth, and hypochondtia neuen gives him a specal af finy for therapy and for therapeutic grougs and movements ‘Asa paychistric patient, the aeeishst i prime candidat for interminable analyse: He seks in analysis religion oc way of lite and hopes to fin in the therapeutic Felaionship external ap port for hie fantasies of omniporence and eternal youth. ‘The Strength of his defenses, however, makes him resistant to soces= fal analysis. The shallowness of hixemeiorl Ie often preven him trom developing s clowe connection to the analy, even ‘hough he “often uses his intellectual insight to agree verbally ‘wth the analyst and recapitulates in his ewn words what ha been analyse in previous sesion.” He ust intellect in the sr vee of evsion rather than self-discovery, ering to some ofthe fame sritepis of obfuscatan that sppen in the confessional ‘writing of recent decades, *The patient uses the analytic interpre- {ations but deprives them quickly of life md meaning. 30 that ‘he Nocninc Posonality of Our Tine «41 ‘only meaningless words are lef. The words are then felt be the paten'sown possession, which heiealizs and which give him a {ese of superiority.” Although paychistriss no longer consider ‘ates disorders inberentty tmanalyzable, few of them ake ‘sr optimistic view of the prospects for sucess ‘According wo Kernberg, the great argument for making thea. vempe at al, inthe face ofthe many dffculis presented by nar sist patients, ithe devastating fet of narcissism on the see ‘od half of thee lives—ehe certainty of the terrible suiTering thet Ties im store, In a society that dreads od age and death, aging holds 2 special teror for those wh fear dependence and whose selfestem requires the admiration usally reserved for Youth, [eau celebrity, or charm. The usual defenses agrinst the ra ‘ges of age—identiieton with ethical or artistic wales Beyond ‘one's immediate interest, intellectual curiosity, the consoling ‘motional warmth derived from happy eelatonhipsin the pat = fan do nothing forthe narcissist. Unable to derive whatever come {ort somes fm Mesifnatnn with heres continue Bs itimpossible, onthe contrary, “to accept the Tat that # Younger iemeraton now possesses many ofthe previously cherished gra Feations af beaty, wealth, power and, particulary, creativity ‘To.be able to enjay Ie in'a process invlving 2 growing ide tifeation with ether people's happiness and achterements rag tally beyond the eapacty of narisatic personalities" Social Influencs om Narcissism Every age develops ts own peculiar forms ct pathology, which expres fn exaggerated frm is underlying cuaractee structure. In Freud’ times hysteria essonal nero atried to extremes the personaly tus sociated with the captalst order at an earlier sage ins dete ‘ment—aequisttenes, fanatical devon to werk, ands Bree Fepression of sezalty. In our time, the preschivophreni, bor serine, or personality disorders have atacted incresing ten "on, along with schizophrenia ef This “change in the fom of ‘neuroses hn bean observed and describe snes Ward War by an ererincressing amber of psychiatrist” According to Peter q 42: The Calare f Norco 1. Giowscchini, "Clinicians are consol faced with the seem {ogy increasing number of piers who do ox Screed te aegorie” and who slr nat rm "ftv symprome fr rom Seagu, iden compaims® “Whos Ureter fo thi ‘ype of pation "he, wrts,"pratcally everyone Anows to ‘thom Iam reering” The growing prominens of “character {roe sem ro ngify an underpin change nthe ogni thm of personaly, frm wha has ben alle aner-drestion ‘allen Whats argu in 1958 thatthe change in “the pers oft” fellwithin the personal experience folder prycho- ‘alt while younger ones “become sare ot from the di Srepaney between the older eseripons of meron and the potlems presented bythe patents who come dy #0 their Eas The change rom symptom nes har so Soh that ie refccid s change ie perwealty, Bowctee, ‘evehalest wrote in 1963 that he “change neurotic prter {iy seats lw ian th veh ‘sport have bese incrgsingy common. “I no aciden, Fever Hendin noten otha st the preter tne the dowinat vem in paycosnalyti ae the rediasvery faci fad the ‘ew emphasis on the paychologclsgucance of death”

    You might also like