THE CULTURE OF NARCISSISM. AMERICAN LIFE IN AN AGE OF DIMINISHING EXPECTATIONS - CHRISTOPHER LASCH

"The Culture of Narcissism" is an insightful analysis of American society, conducted by Christopher Lasch, a prominent historian and intellectual. The book, first published in 1979, gained recognition and became a bestseller, and its theses remain surprisingly relevant even today. Lasch, referring to psychoanalytic theories and historical analysis, examines the phenomenon of narcissism as a characteristic feature of contemporary Western culture. The author observes with concern the changes taking place in politics, economy, and culture, pointing to a disturbing future in which bourgeois society exhausts the resources of creative concepts.

• In-depth analysis of American society
• Insightful observations on Western culture
• Reference to psychoanalytic theories and historical analysis
• Relevance of the theses despite the years since the first publication
• Critical look at the phenomenon of narcissism
• Analysis of the influence of liberalism and individualism on society
• References to contemporary political and social issues

Lasch notes the widespread opposition to politics perceived as a spectacle and the first attempts at self-organization of citizens in local communities. He criticizes the cult of liberalism equated with individualism, which led to the emergence of a narcissistic personality, characterized by an unbridled pursuit of happiness and a morbid focus on one's own "self." The narcissist lives in the present day, while constantly feeling dissatisfied with his desires. The author emphasizes that modern man, dependent on experts, has lost the ability to refer to his own experience and independently define his own needs, which makes it impossible to satisfy them.

Christopher Lasch was an American historian and intellectual whose works had a significant impact on social and political thought. His books, such as "The Culture of Narcissism," became an important point of reference in debates about the state of modern society. Lasch died in 1994, leaving behind a rich scientific legacy that continues to inspire researchers and readers around the world. Lasch's analyses refer primarily to a specific historical time from the life of American society, but nevertheless surprise with the author's insight and commitment to topicality. It seems that after so many years since its first American publication, the book has not lost any of its relevance, both in relation to the phenomena characteristic of American society and to the current Polish one.

The book "The Culture of Narcissism" is a must-read for anyone interested in the state of modern society and the mechanisms governing Western culture. It is a book that encourages reflection and allows us to better understand the challenges we face as individuals and as a society. The second Polish edition is based on the American edition from 2018, which was preceded by an introduction by E.J. Dionne'a junior, in which he writes, among other things: Lasch laments the decline of truth, the widening gap between elites and less privileged groups, and the difficulties faced by the American family. He warns against the social and psychological costs of losing control over working conditions by the American worker. He also explains the growth of ubiquitous distrust of people in power and laments the transformation of politics from an instrument of change in the social sphere into an instrument of self-realization.