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The term appeared in Freud's '' Civilization and Its Discontents'' (1929–30) in relation to the application of the inborn aggression in man to ethnic (and other) conflicts, a process still considered by Freud, at that point, as a convenient and relatively harmless satisfaction of the inclination to aggression. For Lacanians, the concept clearly related to the sphere of the Imaginary: the narcissism of small differences, which situates envy as the decisive element in issues that involve narcissistic image. American psychiatrist Glen O. Gabbard has suggested that Freud's narcissism of small differences provides a framework to understand that in a loving relationship, there can be a need to find, and even exaggerate, differences in order to preserve a feeling of separateness and self.
It has been pointed out that Jonathan Swift in his 1726 novel '' Gulliver's Travels'' described this phenomenon when writing about how two groups entered into a long and vicious war after they disagreed on which was the best end to break an egg.
In terms of postmodernity, Clive Hazell argues that consumer culture has been seen as predicated on the narcissism of small differences to achieve a superficial sense of one's own uniqueness, an ersatz sense of otherness which is only a mask for an underlying uniformity and sameness. The phenomenon has been portrayed by the British comedy group Monty Python in their satirical 1979 film ''Life of Brian'', by the comedian Emo Philips, and by author Joan Didion in an essay (part of her 1968 book '' Slouching Towards Bethlehem'') about Michael Laski, the founder of the Communist Party USA (Marxist–Leninist).
''An Interview With Freud Biographer Peter D. Kramer''
by Paul Comstock, April 3, 2007
''Group Psychology and Political Theory''
By C. Fred. Alford, pages 40–42, Published 1994, Yale University Press, * Michael Ignatieff, "The Narcissism of Minor Difference," in ''The Warrior's Honor: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience'', pages 34–71 Published 1997, Henry Holt and Co., * Anton Blok, 'The Narcissism of Minor Differences' in ''Honor and Violence'' (Cambridge 2001) 115-131 {{DEFAULTSORT:Narcissism Of Small Differences Narcissism Freudian psychology 1917 introductions
psychoanalysis
PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: and is a set of theories and techniques of research to discover unconscious mind, unconscious processes and their influence on conscious mind, conscious thought, emotion and behaviour. Based on The Inte ...
, the narcissism of small differences () is the idea that the more a relationship or community shares commonalities, the more likely the people in it are to engage in interpersonal feuds and mutual ridicule because of hypersensitivity to minor differences perceived in each other. The term was coined by Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud ( ; ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating psychopathology, pathologies seen as originating fro ...
in 1917, based on the earlier work of English anthropologist
An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...
Ernest Crawley. Crawley theorized that each individual is separated from others by a taboo
A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
of personal isolation, which is effectively a narcissism of minor differences.
Usage
The term appeared in Freud's '' Civilization and Its Discontents'' (1929–30) in relation to the application of the inborn aggression in man to ethnic (and other) conflicts, a process still considered by Freud, at that point, as a convenient and relatively harmless satisfaction of the inclination to aggression. For Lacanians, the concept clearly related to the sphere of the Imaginary: the narcissism of small differences, which situates envy as the decisive element in issues that involve narcissistic image. American psychiatrist Glen O. Gabbard has suggested that Freud's narcissism of small differences provides a framework to understand that in a loving relationship, there can be a need to find, and even exaggerate, differences in order to preserve a feeling of separateness and self.
It has been pointed out that Jonathan Swift in his 1726 novel '' Gulliver's Travels'' described this phenomenon when writing about how two groups entered into a long and vicious war after they disagreed on which was the best end to break an egg.
In terms of postmodernity, Clive Hazell argues that consumer culture has been seen as predicated on the narcissism of small differences to achieve a superficial sense of one's own uniqueness, an ersatz sense of otherness which is only a mask for an underlying uniformity and sameness. The phenomenon has been portrayed by the British comedy group Monty Python in their satirical 1979 film ''Life of Brian'', by the comedian Emo Philips, and by author Joan Didion in an essay (part of her 1968 book '' Slouching Towards Bethlehem'') about Michael Laski, the founder of the Communist Party USA (Marxist–Leninist).
See also
* Collective narcissism *Identity Politics
Identity politics is politics based on a particular identity, such as ethnicity, Race (human categorization), race, nationality, religion, Religious denomination, denomination, gender, sexual orientation, Socioeconomic status, social background ...
* Intragroup conflict
* Familiarity breeds contempt
* Law of triviality
* Narcissism
* Sectarianism
Sectarianism is a debated concept. Some scholars and journalists define it as pre-existing fixed communal categories in society, and use it to explain political, cultural, or Religious violence, religious conflicts between groups. Others conceiv ...
* '' The Sneetches and Other Stories'' and '' The Butter Battle Book'' by Dr. Seuss
* Uncanny valley
References
Further reading
''An Interview With Freud Biographer Peter D. Kramer''
by Paul Comstock, April 3, 2007
''Group Psychology and Political Theory''
By C. Fred. Alford, pages 40–42, Published 1994, Yale University Press, * Michael Ignatieff, "The Narcissism of Minor Difference," in ''The Warrior's Honor: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience'', pages 34–71 Published 1997, Henry Holt and Co., * Anton Blok, 'The Narcissism of Minor Differences' in ''Honor and Violence'' (Cambridge 2001) 115-131 {{DEFAULTSORT:Narcissism Of Small Differences Narcissism Freudian psychology 1917 introductions