Narcissism and the Fissure of Neo-Conservatism

Canadi an Jour nal of Pol i t i cal and Soci al Theor y/ Revue canadi enne de t heor i e pol i t i que et soci al e, Vol . 4, No . 2, ( Spr i ng- Summer / Pr i nt emps- Et e, 1980) . NARCI SSI SM AND THE FI SSURE OF NEO- CONSERVATI SM Br i an Cat er i no Chr i st oper Lasch, Cul t ur e of Di mi ni shi ng Expect at i ons, Nar ci ssi sm: Amer i c an New Yor k : Nor t on, 1978, Li f e i n an Age of pp . 286 . The gr owi ng i nf l uence of neo- conser vat i sm, has s pawned a ser i es of new di agonses of t he soci al i l l s of c ont empor ar y Amer i c an cul t ur e . The c ommon t heme of t hese cr i t i ci sms has been t he gr owt h of t he " me gener at i on, " a nar ci ssi st i cal l y pr eoccupi ed soci et y whi c h pl aces i t s per sonal i nt er est s abov e t hose of t he soci al good . The exi st ence of t he new nar ci ssi sm can be conf i r med, accor di ng t o t he neo- conser vat i ves, i n phenomena such as t he r i se of awar eness and human pot ent i al mov ement s , whi c h st r ess t he sel f as cent r al , i n t he decl i ne of pat r i ot i sm and expr essi ons of soci al sol i dar i t y, and i n t he gr owi ng l oss of conf i dence i n gov er nment and i t s of f i ci al s t o act i n t he i nt er est s of al l i n bal anci ng c ompet i ng soci al mani f est ed pol i t i cal l y, cl ai ms . The excess of l eads each i ndi vi dual i ndi vi dual i sm, or i nt er est gr oup ( e . g . , Bl acks, W omen, l ef t - wi ng gr oups) t o demand f r om t he pol i t i cal s y s t emmor e t han t he syst em can ac c omodat e . The i nt r ansi gence of t hese demands l eads t o i nst abi l i t y and unr est whi c h t hr eat en t he bal ance of t he pol i t i cal syst em as a whol e . Lac k i ng sel f - r est r ai nt , di sci pl i ne and a sense of c ommuni t y , t he nar ci ssi st i c or der . The pr oper of t he pol i t i cal t he c om m uni t y r equi r es t hat t he i ndi vi dual r el at i onshi p of t he i ndi vi dual and t hr eat ens i ndi vi dual t he cohesi on r est r ai n demands i n t he i nt er est s of t he c ommuni t y . Cul t ur e of Nar ci ssi sm has bec ome associ at ed wi t h t he neo- conser vat i ve cr i t i que of cul t ur e . Howev er , i t di f f er s f undament al l y f r om t hi s vi ewpoi nt i n i t s di agnosi s and i t s r emedy . The r el at i on bet ween t he i ndi vi dual and t he i s mar r ed not by an excess of i ndi vi dual i t y, but by i t s ecl i pse . capi t al i sm asser t s t he pr i or i t y of t he st at e ( t hough not t hat of t he Adv anc ed pr oper ) over t he i ndi vi dual . Las c h cont ends t hat t he c hanged c ommuni t y c ommuni t y st at e t o soci et y i n adv anc ed capi t al i sm under mi nes t he of aut onomous i ndi vi dual s . I nst ead, t he syst emat i c dependenc e of i ndi vi dual s upon t he wor ki ngs of a st at e- di r ect ed capi t al i sm i nduces f r agment ed and at omi zed i ndi vi dual s unabl e t o cont r ol t hei r own dest i ni es . r el at i on of t he dev el opment 88 NARCI SSI SMA ND THE FI SSURE . . . I n hi s pr evi ous wor k, Haven i n A Hear t l ess Wor l d, Lasch det ai l s t he emer gence of st at e pat er nal i sm i n Amer i ca at t he t ur n of t he cent ur y . Pr ogr essi ve Er a r ef or mer s wer e concer ned wi t h i ncr eases i n pover t y, cr i me, f ami l y br eakdown and ot her i nst ances of soci al di sor der caused by t he emer gence of i ndust r i al soci et y . Faced dai l y wi t h t he consequences of l ai ssezf ai r e r el at i ons of st at e and soci et y, r ef or mer s f el t i t was t he r ol e of t he gover nment ( not onl y nat i onal but st at e and muni ci pal ) t o act i vel y i nt er vene t o amel i or at e soci al i l l s . The new r ol e of gover nment r equi r ed i t t o t ake over f unct i ons pr evi ousl y r eser ved f or t he pr i vat e spher e . Ref or mer s appr oved of t hi s, assumi ng a uni t y of i nt er est s bet ween t he st at e and t he i ndi vi dual , and t hat t he st at e was capabl e of r ef or mi ng and st eer i ng soci al r el at i ons i n an appr opr i at e di r ect i on . The uni t y of i ndi vi dual and st at e i nt er est s was t o be achi eved t hr ough t he sci ent i f i c management of soci al r el at i ons and such sci ent i f i c knowl edge was t o be t he basi s of a pr ogr am of soci al hygi ene . However , t he r at i onal i zat i on of per sonal and f ami l i ar r el at i ons was i t sel f i deol ogi cal ; i t conceal ed t he pol i t i cal i nt er est s of t he st at e . Ref or m of cr i mi nal j ust i ce, f or exampl e, i mpl i ed t he r ej ect i on of har sh puni shment f or a medi cal model of j ust i ce . The cr i mi nal was a si ck i ndi vi dual t o be cur ed by soci et y . Ext ended t o al l soci al r el at i ons, by pr of essi onal soci ol ogi st s, t he medi cal model of f er ed t he j ust i f i cat i on f or an essent i al l y pol i t i cal i nt er vent i on i nt o pr i vat e l i f e . Lasch cont ends t hat t he pr ogr essi ve r ef or ms have f r agment ed t he f ami l y . The emphasi s on exper t opi ni on under mi ned t he exper i ent i al base of f ami l y l i f e and weakened t r adi t i ons of sel f - hel p . Bl amed f or al l of soci et i es i l l s f r om anxi et y t o cr i me, par ent s l ost conf i dence i n t hei r abi l i t y t o r ai se chi l dr en . The " cool i ng" of t he emot i onal i nt ensi t y of f ami l y l i f e ( r ecommended as wel l by pr of essi onal s) al so has t aken i t s t ol l . The chi l d i s not r ai sed wi t h a combi nat i on of l ove and di sci pl i ne . I t conf r ont s cool , r at i onal , humane ( but anxi ous) par ent s, who r el at e t o each ot her i n a si mi l ar l y " r eal i st i c" f ashi on. No l onger a shel t er f r om t he compet i t i ve wor l d of wor k, t he f ami l y became t he ext ensi on of t he admi ni st er ed wor l d of advanced capi t al i sm. Cul t ur e of Nar ci ssi sm pai nt s a por t r ai t of t he soci al char act er r esul t i ng f r om t he changed r el at i on of publ i c and pr i vat e l i f e . Lasch' s f undament al pr oposal i s t hat t he decl i ne of t he f ami l y and i ncr easi ng st at e- admi ni st r at i on of pr i vat e l i f e have weakened t he st r engt h of t he ego t o i ndependent l y assess and cr i t i ci ze t he soci et y i t i nhabi t s . Under t he pr essur es of t hi s soci et y t he ego l oses i t s uni t , and r egr esses t o a mor e pr i mi t i ve, mal l eabl e f or m of or gani zat i on . Cl i ni cal psychol ogi st s have not ed a change i n t he t ypi cal sympt oms of pat i ent s si nce Fr eud' s t i me . Repl aci ng t he " cl assi cal " neur oses of hyst er i a, and obsessi ve compul si ons, ar e di sor der s char act er i zed by vague and undi f f er ent i at ed sympt oms : f r ee f l oat i ng anxi et y, meani ngl ess and empt y 89 BRI AN CA TERI NO l i ves and l ow l evel depr essi on and l oss of vi t al i t y . These have been t er med bor der l i ne per sonal i t y di sor der s . They ar e char act er i zed by a weak or f r agment ed ego st r uct ur e whi ch l acks t he i nt egr i t y of a " heal t hi er " ego . Lasch' s account of t hi s syndr ome r el i es on wr i t i ngs i nf l uenced by Mel ani e Kl ei n' s t heor i es of pr i mi t i ve obj ect r el at i ons, and t hus t o gr asp hi s ar gument a br i ef account of Kl ei n' s posi t i on i s necessar y . Kl ei n descr i bes t wo mai n " posi t i ons" of t he chi l d t owar ds i t s obj ect s : t he depr essi ve and t he par anoi d- schi zophr eni c . Each chi l d accor di ng t o Fr eudi an t heor y t akes i t sel f as i t s f i r st obj ect choi ce . ( Her e " obj ect " means anyt hi ng not t he sel f ; even t hough t he chi l d may make i t sel f an obj ect choi ce . ) Thi s st age i s t er med pr i mar y nar ci ssi sm and i s a nor mal par t of t he t r ansi t i on f r omaut oer ot i c t o obj ect r el at i ons . Kl ei n' s t heor y concer ns t he modes of obj ect r el at i ons t hat f ol l ow pr i mar y nar ci ssi sm. The pat hol ogi cal f or ms of obj ect r el at i ons l ead t o secondar y nar ci ssi sm, t he cl i ni cal syndr ome t hat i s at t he r oot of Lasch' s anal ysi s . I n t he depr essi ve posi t i on, t he chi l d r eact s t o an obj ect t hat i s a whol e per son . Def endi ng i t sel f agai nst t he anxi et y of obj ect l oss and hence of gr at i f i cat i on, t he chi l d i nt r oj ect s t he l ost obj ect ( gener al l y t he mot her ) , so t hat i t pr ovi des pr ot ect i on f r om t he f r ust r at i on and sense of per secut i on t hat i s exper i enced when gr at i f i cat i on i s l ost . Accor di ng t o Kl ei n, t he weak ego of t he chi l d exper i ences al l f r ust r at i on as at t ack f r om i nt er nal or ext er nal per secut or s . The chi l d' s i dent i f i cat i on wi t h t he whol e obj ect achi eves gr owt h i n t he st r engt h of t he ego, because i t al l ows t he expr essi on of concer n and r emor se t owar d t he obj ect . Whi l e t he chi l d i dent i f i es wi t h t he obj ect , i t al so f eel s concer n t hat t he l ove obj ect coul d be dest r oyed or hur t . The i nt r oj ect ed obj ect r emai ns good, and t he chi l d di r ect s f eel i ngs of r emor se agai nst i t sel f f or f ai l ur e t o mai nt ai n t he l ove of t he obj ect ( i . e . mel anchol y) . The i nt r oj ect i on of t he good obj ect i s t he basi s of a secur e r el at i on wi t h t he sel f and obj ect s i n l at er l i f e. The par anoi d- schi zophr eni c posi t i on i s char act er i zed by a r el at i on t o par t obj ect s, whi ch does not al l ow t he st abl e f or mat i on of an i nner obj ect wor l d . The ego of t he young chi l d, as not ed above, i s f r agi l e and open t o f r agment at i on when f r ust r at ed . I t s f i r st def ense agai nst t he r age of f r ust r at ed gr at i f i cat i on i s t he spl i t t i ng of t he ego i nt o an i deal i zed good obj ect , and bad obj ect s ( per secut or s) whi ch ar e pr oj ect ed ont o obj ect s . The omni pot ent good obj ect anni hi l at es t he bad obj ect s . Wher eas i n t he depr essi ve posi t i on t he ego i s i nt egr at ed, exposed t o, and mast er i ng good and bad i mpul ses t owar d obj ect s, and di st i ngui shi ng bet ween i t sel f and obj ect s, t he par anoi dschi zophr eni c posi t i on i s char act er i zed by an ego unabl e t o accommodat e t he conf l i ct i ng pr essur es of i t s own good and bad i mpul ses . Pr oj ect i ng t he unmast er ed i mpul ses ont o obj ect s, i t s r el at i on t o t hemi s pr i mar i l y nar ci ssi st i c and egocent r i c . I t ' s wor l d i s a pr oj ect i on of omni pot ent cont r ol and host i l e 90 NARCI SSI SM AND THE FI SSURE . . . per secut or s . The sel f and i t s obj ect mer ge i n a shadowy wor l d of i nf ant i l e i mpul ses . The nar ci ssi st i c per sonal i t y, f i xed i n t he par anoi d- schzophr eni c posi t i on, i s unabl e t o l ove ot her i ndi vi dual s, or t o f or m a cr eat i ve r el at i onshi p t o hi s wor k . Al l si gni f i cant er ot i c at t achment s exci t e, i n addi t i on, st r ong, dest r uct i ve i mpul ses whi ch spl i t t he weak ego . When t he good aspect of t he ego i s pr oj ect ed ont o t he l oved obj ect , t he ego i s depl et ed and f eel s ensl aved by t he l ove obj ect . I t must cont r ol t hi s obj ect or become compl et el y cont r ol l ed by i t , f or t he obj ect now cont ai ns t he val ued par t of t he sel f . Avoi di ng t he " t hef t " of t he good obj ect means t hat t he obj ect must be r e- i nt r oj ect ed and hel d cl osed wi t hi n t he sel f . I n t hi s posi t i on t he ego wi t hdr aws l i bi do f r om t he wor l d ; no si gni f i cant obj ect r el at i ons ar e possi bl e . Si nce char act er i s f or med onl y i n obj ect r el at i ons wi t h t he wor l d ( f or Fr eud char act er i s t he pr eci pi t at e of our pr i or obj ect r el at i ons) , wi t h our par ent s, t eacher s, peer s and admi r ed cul t ur al f i gur es, t he nar ci ssi st i nhabi t s an i mpover i shed psychi c wor l d . I n t he nor mal per sonal i t y par ent s and, l at er , ot her s ser ve as sour ces of i deal s and pr ohi bi t i ons . We want t o be l i ke our par ent s and model our act i ons af t er admi r ed f i gur es whomaf t er l at er gr owt h we abandon . We st i l l however dr aw a di st i nct i on bet ween our sel ves and our her oes . The nar ci ssi st makes no such di st i nct i on . He seeks obj ect s whi ch sui t hi s pr oj ect i ons of omni pot ence, r egar dl ess of t hei r act ual qual i t i es . Fi gur es of omni pot ence ar e not model s whi ch f or m medi at e l i nks bet ween t he exi st i ng sel f and i t s i deal goal . They ar e mer ged i n a symbi ot i c bond wi t h t he ego . One has ( cont r ol s) t he omni pot ent f i gur e and i s cont r ol l ed by i t . Ther ef or e t he ego bel i eves i t possesses i mmedi at el y qual i t i es of omni pot ence . The nar ci ssi st has no i deal s, mer el y an unceasi ng desi r e f or cont r ol . The obj ect t hat no l onger pr ovi des f eel i ngs of omni pot ence i s abandoned i mmedi at el y wi t h no l i nger i ng t r aces. Lasch f i nds mani f est at i ons of t he nar ci ssi st i c char act er i n much of moder n cul t ur e : i n t he excesses of r adi cal pol i t i cs whose f ant asi es of omni pot ence l ed t o t he excesses of t he weat her men ; i n t he cr i ses of per sonal r el at i ons and i n t he chr oni c anxi et y and meani ngl essness of l i f e ; i n post - moder n l i t er at ur e wher e an aut obi ogr aphi c mode of t en r et r eat s i nt o post ur i ng, sel f - par ody or cl ever l i t er ar y t r i cks devoi d of subst ance ; i n busi ness wher e t he cor por at e man i s r epl aced by t he gamesman, who at t empt s t o mani pul at e t he cor por at i on f or hi s own advancement ; i n pol i t i cs wher e management of an ef f ect i ve i mage and t he mai nt enance of power over t ake t he commi t ment t o subst ant i ve pol i t i cal ends ; i n t he f ear of becomi ng ol d, t he degr adat i on of spor t , t he decl i ne of educat i onal st andar ds and i n t he wor l d of adver t i zi ng . Lasch' s cr i t i que of soci et y i s not i dent i cal t o t hat of t he neo- conser vat i ves . The exi st ence of mass soci et y agr eed upon by bot h par t i es has a di f f er ent si gni f i cance i n r el at i on t o t he exi st i ng soci al or der . Whi l e t he neo91 BRI AN CA TERI NO conser vat i ves hol d t hat t he excessi ve demands of t he mass man t hr eat en t he st abi l i t y of soci et y, Lasch cont ends t hat t hey ar e i t s necessar y f oundat i on . Advanced capi t al i sm can mai nt ai n i t s st abi l i t y onl y by t he del i ber at e dei ndi vi dual i zat i on of i t s ci t i zens . The t r ansi t i on f r omcompet i t i ve capi t al i sm t o st at e- di r ect ed capi t al i sm r equi r es not onl y t hat t he st at e i nt er vene i n or der t o st abi l i ze economi c cr i ses, but t hat i t t ake a hand i n st eer i ng soci al and pol i t i cal r el at i ons as wel l . The i deol ogi cal suppor t of gl obal ent er pr i se, t he channel l i ng of mot i ves, desi r es and i deas i nt o accept abl e f or ms can no l onger be achi eved t hr ough t he aut omat i c r egul at i on of t he economi c syst em, but onl y t hr ough st at e suppor t . Thi s f or m of or gani zat i on r equi r es r el at i vel y gr eat er cont r ol over i ndi vi dual f r eedom, t han capi t al i sm' s ear l i er phase : cr eat i ng a t ensi on whi ch i s deepened by t he r el at i vel y gr eat er possi bi l i t i es f or f r eedom t hat cur r ent capi t al i sm seemi ngl y cont ai ns . The cent r al cul t ur al pr obl ems i n advanced capi t al i sm do not l i e excl usi vel y i n t he spher e of t he i ndi vi dual , but i n a syst emat i c r est r i ct i on of i ndi vi dual devel opment . The neo- conser vat i ve cr i t i que r el i es on t he vi ew t hat soci et y i s f or t he most par t wel l f unct i oni ng, and t hat i ndi vi dual char act er i s f l awed . I n t hi s cont ext t he neo- conser vat i ve i nsi st ence on r est r ai nt and excel l ence i s pol i t i cal l y r egr essi ve . The " l i mi t s" or di mi ni shed expect at i ons whi ch t he neo- conser vat i ves pr opose i mpl y t hat t he exi st i ng i nj ust i ces and i nequal i t i es ar e exi st ent i al l y necessar y . The excessi ve demands of t he nar ci ssi st r epr esent an i nabi l i t y t o r ecogni ze t he necessar y l i mi t s of l i f e . I n t hi s anal ysi s l ef t - wi ng pol i t i cal gr oups who make " excessi ve" demands f or pol i t i cal or di st r i but i ve j ust i ce ar e l umped t oget her wi t h nar ci ssi st i c i ndi vi dual s . Lasch' s anal ysi s, al t hough i t s pr emi ses r emai n i mpl i ci t , r ecogni zes a subt l er soci al dynami c . The emer gence of nar ci ssi st i c char act er r epr esent s t he gr and f ai l ur e of advanced capi t al i sm t o pr ovi de a sat i sf act or y way of l i f e . I t s mai nt enance and st abi l i t y r equi r es t hat i ndi vi dual s become f r agment ed - unabl e t o act i vel y di r ect t hei r own dest i ni es . The t r ue si gni f i cance of t he nar ci ssi st i c char act er l i es not i n i t s excesses, but i n i t s def i ci enci es : i t i s t he cr y of ext i ngui shed possi bi l i t i es . Pol i t i cal Economy Uni ver si t y of Tor ont o