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One of those books that are often mentioned but seldom read, though that might change. Its central thesis is that modernity undermining people's confidence in traditional authorities and social institutions has largely been for the worse, resulting in a neurotic inwards-looking people incapable of having a psychologically healthy relationship with any kind of authority or institution. Especially not when the gap has been filled by inhuman centralised technocracies in both the public and private sectors.

"The Culture of Narcissism" was published a year before Ronald Reagan's election by a speechwriter for Jimmy Carter, and it shows. The narcissistic culture Lasch warns us against is basically a prototype for the popular caricature of 1980's yuppie culture. Indeed, it would not surprise me if Bret Easton Ellis wrote both "Less Than Zero" and "American Psycho" with a dog-eared and annotated copy of this book at his side! The context of the Carter administration also explains Lasch's initially baffling combination of Marxist economic analysis and American conservative moral values. I find it very noticeable out of the "recommended similar books" on here for "The Culture of Narcissism" 50% are by conservative authors (e. g. Camille Paglia, Michel Houellebecq) 50% by Marxist authors. (e. g. Mark Fisher, Slavoj Zizek)

As many valid observations as Lasch makes, though, I'm not sure if I follow through with all of it. Not only does he rely on Freudian psychological theories I'm not 100% on board with myself, but the afore-mentioned mix of Marxist economic theory and conservative morality results in his analysis often coming across as ideologically incoherent to me. To say nothing of the fact that my beginner level knowledge of economics, sociology and similar disciplines means that I am often not that sure exactly what Lasch means, a writing style that when you think about it undermines the anti-elitist political message of book...