Narcissism, according to them, may be associated with "higher
levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs ... Individuals in less
advantaged nations .. are too busy trying (to survive) ... to be
arrogant and grandiose".
They - like Lasch before them - attribute pathological narcissism to "a
society that stresses individualism and self-gratification at the
expense of community, namely the United States."
They assert that the disorder is more prevalent among certain
professions with "star power" or respect. "In an individualistic
culture, the narcissist is 'God's gift to the world'. In a collectivist
society, the narcissist is 'God's gift to the collective'".
Millon quotes Warren and Caponi's "The Role of Culture in the
Development of Narcissistic Personality Disorders in America, Japan and
Denmark":
"Individualistic narcissistic structures of self-regard (in
individualistic societies) ... are rather self-contained and
independent ... (In collectivist cultures) narcissistic configurations
of the we-self ... denote self-esteem derived from strong
identification with the reputation and honor of the family, groups, and
others in hierarchical relationships."
Still, there are malignant narcissists among subsistence farmers in
Africa, nomads in the Sinai desert, day laborers in east Europe, and
intellectuals and socialites in Manhattan.
Pages:
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254