What is it about?
This chapter redefines the concept of narcissism, which is often confusing and inconsistently defined across various psychological theories and studies. To expose the underlying narcissistic traits in the personalities and teachings of Freud, Winnicott, and Kohut, the chapter establishes three core dimensions that characterize narcissism: grandiosity, schizoidness, and the difficulty in recognizing otherness and separateness.
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Why is it important?
This chapter is essential because it untangles a confusing theoretical concept and offers a clear, operative definition. By framing narcissism through three core dimensions—grandiosity, schizoidness, and the lack of separateness—it provides a precise analytical key that links a theorist's personality directly to their teachings. This allows readers to look at foundational psychoanalytic texts through a fresh critical lens, revealing the deeply human subjectivity embedded within them.
Perspectives
This chapter builds upon a previous article of mine that offered a critique of Heinz Kohut’s theory, particularly his conflation of "the self" with "narcissism." Given Kohut's monumental influence on the subject, I felt this confusion heavily contributed to the widespread ambiguity in our field. For me, untangling and redefining the concept of narcissism was a vital mission—not just as a foundation for this book, but as an essential step toward restoring conceptual clarity to psychoanalytic discourse.
Orna Afek
Tamuz Institute
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The self-sufficient grandiose self, January 2025, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.4324/9781003538295-3.
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