Group narcissism

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According to the German psychoanalyst, philosopher and social psychologist Erich Fromm, group narcissism is the transfer of a person's own narcissism to a social group , to the nation, to a church (religious narcissism) or a grouping that represents a certain point of view, etc. Ä. The persons concerned claim z. B. that their nation is the best of all nations. In doing so, they only see the positive sides of their own nation / religion / ..., whereby they only see negative things in others (with narcissism such thinking relates to oneself). This could create communities in which self-esteem is overestimated. Especially the least respected members, economically and culturally poor , experience a high level of satisfaction in narcissistic pride . In order to compensate for the dissatisfaction of a society in which a large part is inadequately supplied , it must be helped to a vicious narcissistic satisfaction.

In group narcissism, the object is not the individual but the group to which it belongs. B. be expressed freely in the form of patriotism , faith and loyalty . Appeals to narcissistic prejudices promote solidarity and the inner cohesion of the group and at the same time facilitate their manipulation . Since it is shared by many members, it appears to convey realistic and reasonable value judgments . A consensus found in this way includes, according to Fromm, the possibility of transforming fantasies into (apparent) realities .

Fromm describes group narcissism as one of the most important prerequisites for the preparation of a war and sees its cause in the form of today's society, "which isolation and hostility among people" promotes both narcissism and group narcissism. However, he also sees in him the chance, if it were possible to extend group narcissism to the whole of humanity, “if the individual experience himself primarily as a citizen of the world and if he could be proud of humanity and its achievements”, that it will lead the way to one “Neo- humanism ” could pave the way.

See also

literature

  • Erich Fromm: The answer of love - the art of real life. Herder, Freiburg 2003, ISBN 3-451-05366-7 , pp. 137–149 (“Narcissism as the opposite of love”).