The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations
By:
Christopher Lasch
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Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Description:
When The Culture of Narcissism was first published, it was clear that Christopher Lasch had identified something important: what was happening to American society in the wake of the decline of the family over the last century. The book quickly became a bestseller. This edition includes a new afterword, "The Culture of Narcissim Revisited."
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
me me me me - The title of this review is the theme music of our times. Even though it was written more than 20 some odd years ago it's content still rings just as true today as it did in its first year. As a student of psychoanalytic social-work I find the "Culture of Narcissism" to be one of the most relevent works of our age. It clarifies the nature of so much of what is a part of our social and psychological dysfuction.
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Metamorphasis of Narcissism - Although written in 1978 with an afterword added in 1990, this book is as timely and as relevant as when it was first published. Chapters V thru X were particularly insightful. Reading these chapters and looking at our culture and society was a wake up call. Baby boomers who were raised and educated with the doctrine of "competitive individualism" will find this book a worthy read and perhaps challenge those of a liberal mind set.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Lasch is Brilliant - The Culture of Narcissism is a thought-provoking must read, for anyone interested in philosophy, psychology, and the unfolding of American society. Lasch addresses the question of why the classic neuroses (i.e., anxiety hysteria, conversion hysteria and obsessive-compulsive neuroses) were replaced by narcissism, as the dominant mental disorder in the US. Although Lasch uses Freudian concepts to discuss the evolution of the psyche, he argues that society has precipitated these changes. Lasch examines the driving forces expediting the transformation of the self, including the societal changes occurring since the start of the 20th century and the accompanying infrastructures. The salient, yet minimized hierarchical relationships in our society are epitomized through hedonism and materialism, fostering unyielding competition. At the same time, our society's distribution of labor causes individuals to depend on others. These factors beget a society, in which cooperation and competition coincide, reinforcing the development of individuals with narcissistic, borderline personalities. The ubiquitous threats to our obtained superficial symbols of wealth are without clarity. This has contributed toward the severe compromise of our institutions (e.g. the family, education). Despite being initially written in the late 1970's the concepts in this book can be applied to today's society. The Culture of Narcissism is definitely an eye-opener.
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Powerful Indictment of U.S. Culture - Christopher Lasch (1932-1994) published this cynical indictment of U.S. culture in the late 1970's, and many say its message is just as true today. The author attacks consumerism and selfishness, particularly among those baby boomers from the so-called Me Generation that had known only post-war prosperity. Professor Lasch is rightly bothered by family breakup, a lack of committment, youth cultism, and celebrity worship, while many decry the sterile, car-dependent-suburban-strip-mall materialism that's taken hold. The author largely blames the left for this cultural downfall, which is ironic. Why? A year after this book arrived Reaganism came in, with its great emphasis on materialism and individualism, plus near-contempt for the downtrodden and efforts to help them.
The author should have credit those baby boomers that struggled for civil rights or volunteered for the military or peace corps. Additionally, his fast-paced style is a bit unclear; our college class found his prose confusing. Still, this is a powerful indictment, and one can only guess how Lasch would view contemporary symmbols like Jerry Springer, Paris Hilton, and athletes on steroids.
Customer Review: 2 out of 5
"I don't like how people are losing their sense of past in favor of the self" - There, if you read my title I saved you the time and money necessary to read this book.
If your idea of a good time is reading an indictment of American Individualism repeated over and over again each chapter with a batch of other people who agree with the author cited to somehow legitimize what he's saying, then go for it.
Recommended for the first year psychology and philosophy student in college. Nothing will make you feel smarter and more spiteful of all those people who beat you up in highschool and / or stood you up at the prom than this one!
Also, I didn't like it.
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