Homo narcissus — człowiek w „kulturze narcyzmu”. Wprowadzenie do lektury Christophera Lascha
Homo narcissus; a Man in the “Culture of Narcissism”. Introduction to Christopher Lasch Concepts

Summary/Abstract: The paper discusses the distinctive features of the man in the “culture of narcissism”. The term “culture of narcissism” was borrowed from Christopher Lasch, the author of the book The Culture of Narcissism. The notion refers to the modern society: a community of individuals absorbed with their own image. Following Lasche’s example, we attempt to show that the notion of narcissism may be viewed as a social phenomenon. That is why we outline some major arguments of the author of The Culture of Narcissism. His theses help us go beyond the scope of psychology (or, to be more precise, psychoanalysis) and to draw on historical and social sources of narcissism. From the sociological perspective, the narcissism turns out to be the effect of several social and economic changes which took place in the 19th and 20th century. Next, the paper attempts to describe the distinctive features of homo narcissus, an individual tied up with narcissistic lies. We assume that, when faced with several dangers, homo narcissus would feel a strong need to save himself, and that is why he would be acquisitively absorbed with the present. Here and now becomes the only reality which should be cared for. The distinctive features of the modern narcissist also include: the feeling of the lack of sense in one’s own life, the fear of old age and the fear of failure, the need of achievement, the desire to become famous and omnipotent. These features will definitely require some more in-depth analysis, so the paper is but the very introduction to such inquiry.

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