B0oRS AY Chnstpher Lasch “The American Liberals andthe Ruan Revlon (162) “The New fadlaiom in Amen (1065 “The Agony ofthe Amerkan Left (106) “The Word of atone 197) Haven na Hearts World: he ail Besieged (1077) “The Cutare o Narcisam 1970) “The Minimal Sa (1004 “The True and Only Heaven: Progre and Gri (1801 “The Revolt ofthe Ee and he Betrayal of Demwcracy (1900 THE CULTURE OF NARCISSISM American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations Christopher Lasch DT W-W-Norton & Company New York London‘Capi ©1979 by Oana Lash A ig ed Pret nthe Uni St of Amara, Fie pled a « Naren ppc 191 hear of Cnet Caan in PBs Di Lata, Chanphe, lets oem adn “W.W.Nonen& Copan Ie 500 as enue, New Yr 1010 ‘Coats Home, 15/96 Was Ses, London WIT QT Te Kate For she is wise, if I cam judge of er, And fir she is, if that mine eyes be true, And true she is, ax she bath proo'd herself And therefore, like herself, ise, fair, and true, ‘Shall she be placed i my constant soul.Contents Preface Acinowleagments I ‘The Awareness Movement and the Social Ins of the Self The Waning of the Seo of Hier Tine The TherapeceSemibiy Fram Polit Se Examination nd Anstonesion The Vad Wik ‘The Prgresie Crit of Privaion ‘The Cre of Privo! Ribard Sentt (de Fall f Pubic Man I The Narcisstic Personality of Our Noreision as Metapbor of the Haman Coin Peto an [Navini in Reet lial Literate ‘Sei Infncs om Narco The World View of the Reignd 6 le 2sil» Comener It Changing Moder of Making From’ Harti Alger to the Happy Hooker The Original Meaning of te Work bic From Sel Caltare to Self Promotion trong “Winning Image” Tie clip of Acbicement Th Art of Sal Serial ‘Th Apatborsof Indian TVs “The Hana of Peeudo-Se-Awarenes: “Thestis of Polis and Everyday Existence mame pan ae eee, a faa eae mead pane ae Eo v “The Degradation of Spor he Spc of ley eros the Rags for National Uplift Hisige on Homo Uedens 2 56 9 a n * a “ te so 4 100 101 The Cri of Sport The Traction of Arb Imprint Cah of the Seon Life ‘irae Lyalyand Compton’ Barauray and “Teaco Ser an he Erion Inary ie Efe a Schooling and the New Hiteracy The Spread of Seapeiton The Atrophy of Competence ioral Origin of the Mdern Seto! Sytem rom Indus Dicpline 1 Manproer Seton ‘Brom Amertaniztion “Lie Adjacent” ‘Bask Educason vera National Dene Eéscaon The Cri! Rights Movement and te Scone Cultural Paton and the Nos Peterman The ie of he Malena Catarat "Elite and Te Critics Esato os 4 Cmimadty VII ‘The Socialization of Reproduction and the Collapue of Authority The “Sailzaton of Werkingnen”™ The Juco Court Parent Eduction Permsisene Record The Cal of Autontty v4 185 56 19) 162 68Comets Pt eprint oft Tr of Nason, Scope, end he Family ‘Nero ond te "Ab Father” The Arion of Autry and he Transformation oft Supers ‘Tie Family’ Relation t Otter Ages of Sait Contr Hg lations he Jb “Tie Factory at Foil VII “The Flight from Feeling Sociopeychology ofthe Sex War The Trieiaicvion of Perl Relations The Bart of he Se: fs Sil Hasory ie Sera! "Rectan ‘Taeterne ‘ominom andthe Intenifation of Sexual Warfare ‘Strange of Acommadaton The Caratng Woman of Male Fontry The Soul f Mow and Woman under Sxialion IX "The Shattered Frith in the Regeneration of Lie The Dread of Old Age [Neri and Old Ae The Sail Theory of Aging: “Groth” as Ploned Obese Probngevty: The Bip! Tory of Aging 16 176 18 24 xX Paternalism Without Father ae Fe amasting Progresstvism and the Rise of the New Paternal Earp ee een ett fae irene sein Ramet ieae ee a Index Mm 2 2 a be aa a asPretace Hardly more than 2 quaner-centiry after Heary Lice pro- lety—a society that giver increasing prominence an encourage ‘ment narcissistic traits—the ultura devaluation of the pest fefcers nae only the povery of the previ iecogies, which have lst thei rip on reality and abandoned the attempt tomas tert, but the poverty ofthe maria’ inne if. A society that has made “nostalgia” + marketable commodity nthe cultural exchange quickly repudiates the suggestion that life the past ‘was in any important way better than fe teday. Having eit laed the past by equating i with outmadd styles of consump. ‘ion, discarded fashions and attudes, people today resent an ‘one who draws on the pain serious distustons of contemporary ‘onditions or attempts to use the pastas standard by which to judge the preset. Current eriscl dogina equates every such re rence tothe pst a5 ie an expression of natalia As Alber Burr has observed, this hind of reasoning "rules out eoiely any Insights gained, and any values arved at by personal expercnce, since such experiences af aways located nthe pat, and here> fore inthe precints of nostalgia, “To discuss the complesitesof our relation to the part under the heading of “nostalga substtater sloganeering forthe objec: tive social evtcism with which this atta tes to associate sell. The fashionable sneer that now automaticly greets every loving recollection of the past attempts to exploit the prejudices of| 1 pendoprogresive society on tal of the status quo, But we ‘ow Kowmthanks eo the work of Chrisepher Hil EP. ‘Thompson, and other historine—that many radial movements in the pst have drawn strength and sustenance from the myth ot ‘memory of agolden ae inthe sl quore distant past This histor teal discovery reinfores the psychoanalytic ivighe thet loving memories constitute a9 indispensable paychologeal resource In maturity. and that those who canna fil back cn the memory of loving relatos inthe pas suffer terrible torments az resul ‘The belie tha in some’ ways the past was & haps tine BY mo means rests ona sentimental illusion, nor dos lead to Back looking, reactionary paralysis ofthe pols wil My own view of the past i just the opposite of David Don-sli» Pre sls. Fae from rganing a+ uscless encumbrance, 1 sc the pas ara police and prychologial easy from which we deve thereserves (nt nectar inthe form of lesson) hat we ed to-cope withthe fure. ur cures indiference to the past ‘hich ely shader over nt tive boty sd recto ‘ther the mottling pret of tha clarc’e bekrptey. The [revalng aude, 0 cesful and forwarding oe he ur {ice deves from 1 natcinic moporenthoent Of the payee da fom an nblity to ground sur neds the expec tf aasection and contentment. lnsead of drwing on tr oem Sxperience, we allow experts 0 define ur tts ft ur ad hee ‘ander why those needs never seem tobe satisfied. “As people Become ape pup in learning how to need Ivan ich write "te ability to shape want frm experienced ttisfction becomes 4 rare competence of the very Fch or the seriously undersup- pled” For al these reson, the devalaation of the past has become ‘ne ofthe mom spartan symptom of the eter rss to Shichi book addres uct lic deswingon historical expe ‘Rene to esplain wht is tong wath present arangemente A seni ofthe past, superficially progressive bd optim, prover ‘on closer analysts tocmbody the despa sobety the Sonat ‘oe the fae Acknowledgments Some of te asin hen were sharpened in crepe and Satin vib Mele! ge sd ovr Shestin son eat EAE eter mera my nk re oa eae Seeldiiehtoandenene ny wlabche ne eee Pet Read oma ny, ihre ames methcnip nce sprig inch bk sds Nene of he se Seale pom r my snen, nee of uke ey td mpc ne “he manip beet rm cen ean yy wile and by Jenner Hin wins ns an SLnceontn iia ato Sm tan Be Ie erna swe sis ea ered ond spsh rember yee ee ke Keto Cte Neen Sy’ Sept aks Mans hee ‘ner 28 Oomer res "The Cop ef Spee apd ah ie Sige of te Fam 26 Novem Wy Pose ace eee Nise Panny of Our Fine tr we. When Cas sensing ine Care ut Fare” Aap ON ee inca The gh om Fel" sing 107 and Poe Cree Yeon fin ond Fane Mat np ee TarTHE CULTURE OF NancissismI ‘The Awareness Movement and ‘the Social Invasion of the Self Th arson ing ard Pale, pate fare mer, br ses a ey ton, Testo pot eed tea a,b ba tpartan stat, he ‘ine, Ti Merci eg ain tm bry, Ngan Somat pn bre. He ety pri. Hecae “ProlisB recon ret Hes vere by ‘ems A cin of atm ad deine roa Iho iaing eink et ie smb tie 1 cose The Waning of the Seas of Historical Time As the swen- "eth century approacherts end, the conviction grows thst ay ‘other things ae ending roo. Storm warnings, porens, hints of ‘atsirophe hnunt our tines. The sense of a ending whieh has given shape to so much ef rwentcthcemtury terse, now pe ‘ades the popular imagisation as well The Net holcause the ‘reat of nuclear anniiltion, the depletion of natura esourene wellfounded predictions of ecologic! disaster have fulled pe ‘te prophccy. giving coneete historia substance tothe nigh. smare, of death wish, Oat avanegare artists were the Bro ‘xpress, The question ofwhether the world will nd in Br or fee, with + bang or a whimper, no longer interests arts shone4: The Cate of Narciso Impending disaster has Become an everyday concer, 50 com imunplace and. familar that moby any longer ges much {ought fo how disaster might be averted. People busy then chee instead with survival seratepin, measures designed to frlong tr cu lives or prorat guaranteed to ensue peat Featind peace of mind = “Those who dig br shkers hope to survive by surrounding themselves with the lest products of modern technology. ‘Commupards inthe country Adhere to an opposite plan: to ree themselves from dependent on technology ad hus toautve ts ‘Sesruction or elapse. Avistr to commune in North Carolina Srrite:"Eseryone sets to share this sense of imminent dooms {op Stewart Brand, editor ofthe Wok Eat Catare,reports hn sale a the Srs tre boing one fe te tmoving ems." Both sratepes reflect the growing despair o ‘hanging soley, even of understanding it, which abo underies the ult of expanded comslournesa, health, and prsopal pow” reve to Aer de pital cro of the snes, Americans have re treated to purely personal preoccupations: Having no hope of proving the Ses any oft ways tht mater, people have Snvinced themselves thet what matters is psyehic self improvement gving in touch with dei feelings eating health ite, taking lessor tn ballet or belly-dancng,smersing them. ‘ches in the wind of the Bast, jgging,learing how 0 Fe inte overcoming the ear of pleasure" Hares in shemselves, these pursuits elevated oa program and wrapped inthe rhetoric ‘lted pion yb esse Sep” Stn So ing Trego nrev ee bacn ener ye comet pce at gh fn ee exec copes” The Assrenex Movement and he Sail Inoesion tbe Self + § fzuhenty and awareness sign a rere rom polit and tepulisionof the ecnt pst. Indesd American seam twa to forget not ely the sites theres the new ey te dstpdons ‘Sollege campuses, Vicon, Wetegate, andthe Nien pea “ey, bor ther em calactive psy even inthe epic fet In'which iw celebrated dung the Bcenennal Woy Al Ic's movi Spor, eed in 197% accurately caugit the mb oF the seve. Appropriately cat inthe form of pated of fr toric cence ction, the in Bde spent many whys toconey the mevage that “plies stone dot work ay Allen aly trounce sone point: When sed wat e Belcvesn, Ales, faving eu! oot politics, eligi, and science, declares “I be: lee to Sex end det -rwo experiences the come once He “To liv for the moment i he prevling psson—tolive for yourself ne for your predecetor or poserty, We are ast ing the sens of histor eotiniy the sense of belungang toa Stzcsson of generations originating ithe past and steehog io the ute Tis he waning of the sate of historia ines ‘Panic, the erin of any sng concen fo ponte aha ‘singuishes the sprites eri ofthe sevete fom eather out teen of milena clin, ro which bers x sperfere semblance Many commentators have seized om this eoblne rt means of undrstandig the contemporary “ela revels fon." ignorng te estore: that distingush rom the the pare A ew yeu oy Les Feder pci | "New ‘Age of Fain” Mote resttly, Tom Wole has interred the few narcisim ae 4 “hid great swskening an oetbeak of Organic erat religoty. jn ougen sn book that seems preset lel smoltneousiy ss crtaqe und» celebration of ontemporaty decadence, compares the Curent nod to the i Tenia ef the waning Madde Ages “The tac of the Middle Age are net much diferent rom thoe ofthe poe he writes Then 5 ox scl upheaval gave rie t"eeonron ‘Cerin weld cin ing wore eae ee6: The Galareof Norio Both Hougon and Wolfe insvertenly provide evidence, owen, tht underioes x rdiiosinerpretation of the "con ‘Clouness movement" Hougsnttees tha survivals become the emchword ofthe seve” and “ollesive nari he {Sominant dapostin. Since "ie sie” har tre makes fence co lve only forthe moment. 0 Fix our eyes on our own “pave perirmane” to ben ones oo own deck tee the tudes Borsa ssocted with mlleacan ou rate; Satcenth-centary”Anabapens awaited the apoealypee ‘ovis ouncendenal lfatention bat wth conceded cence forthe gold age wus expected to inaugurate. Nor Ne they indent to te pre Ancient popula tations of The sleeping hinge leader wo wil retro his people and estore ost golden age—snformed the mllenarian movements of tha per. he Revltonsy of the Upper Rie, anonymous tor ofthe Bo of land Chapt, dared," The Germans nce eld the whole word in tht hands and hey wil do so Sain, and with more power than ever” He predicted thatthe ‘Surrecred Frederic I “Emperor of the Lat Days would e- inst the primitive German ion, move the eaptal of Chis {Codon fom ome to Tren bolic pate propeny, snd level fiinctons beween rich snd poor ‘Such tad, oen sowie with national resistance co foreign conquest, have fourahed at any times and in any Forms, inching the Chita sion ofthe Lar Jedgment. Tht ‘glean oo preudostoral content sggets that even the ‘Hos redcalyobcrverdly egins of the ps expressed s hope ‘Tool justice ads sense of continuity wit eather generations “Te snes ote ales carscterte the survivalist mental ty of the seven. The “world vw emerging meng ws.” Wits Sse Mann ceoors“slly onthe sind hat iva Ur hel arise gd." In an temp to iden the pec Fe ‘ores of contemporary rligiosty, Tom Wolle himself notes that The Acsrenes Movement and the Sais! Inston f the Self 7 “most people, historically, have not lived their ives as if thinking, “Ihave nly oe ite to lve" Tstead they have lived if they a living thee ancestors lives and ther offspring’ lives." These observations go very clos othe hear ofthe mater, bu they ell {hte question in characters the new nace ar thi few awakening ® The Therapeutic Sensibility The cootemporary climate is therapeutic, not religion. People today hunger not for personel 'svation et aloe forthe restoration ofan caler golden ge, but fr the feling, the momentary illusion, of person welling Fealth and poychic securty. Even the radian of the ses served for many’ of those who embraced for personal rather ‘oan politi easons, not asa subsite religion bus at «form of therapy. Radial poles filled empty lives, provided» scae of| ening and purge Inher memo of tc Weathermen, Ssan Stern described their stration in lnnguage that owes tore to [pychtey sd medicine tan rlgon. When seed weve “rat National Convention in Chieag, the wrote fstead shout the state ofher health "I fee gud. Tcl feel ny boy sapple tnd strong and slim, and ready co ran siles, snd my legs avo ‘Se_and swift under me""A few pages later, she says fe tea." Repeately she explains that ssocaton ‘with important rope made her fel important. "I fee T war pat of a vt ne ‘work of intense, exciting and brilline people "When the leaders she ilelized disappointed her, as they says did, she looked for few heroes to take thelr pce, hoping to warn herein thet “orianee™ and to overcome her fesling of isigifican In ‘cir presence, she ocasionaly fel "strong and solid”—anly to Asam exmpl of he ew Spit, nich pitt vew fe FE ie Stream are Bate sg Scie es nl go od ane ey wy it feta gar you cabo poplar sap open Ou Le tad= The Calere of Narision fod herself repelled, when divenshantnet sein agtn, by the STrogance” of those whe she nd previously admired, by "heir ‘omempt fr everyone around them." Ninny ofthe det in Sterns acco ofthe Weathermen would Be familiar to stunts ofthe revothnary mentality im ‘inlet epochs: the feror of her revolutionary mitment, the group endless dspues aboot fine points of polis! dogma, the cts sslf-critcm to which members ofthe act were con- ‘enly exhoged,theatempe to remodel every facet of one's hie i contormay with the revolutionary fth. But every revol- tionary movernent partake ofthe exlsre of it ime, and this one ‘omtinedclments that immediately Wentfed i aba product of ‘Rimrcan soley in an age of diminishing expectations The w- ‘mosphere in which the Weathermen Hved™an amospher of vir Tenet, danger, droge, sexoal promiscuity. moral and paychic ‘hnor_setel tv nh roms a older Fennonary tata Som the tml adware agua of contenoray ‘Rmorce er posceputon ith the tat ofr payee hel {peter sith Ber dependence on sere fra seme of slo, Aimingsish Susan Stern from the kind of religious seeker who {nsf plier to Bad scalar salvation, She needed 9c {aban ae sentiy, nto submerge her dnt in age nse. ‘The marl ilo aso inthe feo quay of biel, {hom an carer ype af American invuaie, the "American ‘Aduat salysad by R. WB. Lewis, Quentin Anderson, ME hae Rogin, and hy ninetcenh-cenury abwerers ike Tocque- Wile, The contemporary nari bears + supefia resem- lance, in bir sei-tbsorpton and dcksions of grandeur, to the peril sls offen elebrted in mieteentvcentry AMET caneerature, The American Adam, like his descendant today, Sought to free himset from the pas and wo extablsh what Emer- fon calcd "an origina! ato the univers” Nineteeth-eo fury writers and orators restated agai and again, ina gest var ‘ty of forme Jelfenon' doctrine tht the ext belongs 0 the {Slog ‘The break win Europe, the aobrion of primogennure, tnd the loweness of family tex gave submance to ther beh {even fit was fay a isin) tat Americas, lone among the peopl of he worl, could exape the entangling Infvence of he ‘The Ascarenas Movement andthe Saat Dron ofthe Saf 9 past. They imagine, according t0 Tocqueville, that “hee whole ‘esiny iin their own hands" Social sondtions tm the United States) Foequevle wrote, severed the te that formerly United broken and che wack of generations effaced, Thos who went tefore ate soon forte of thore who wll come ater, o one has any en the mere of at Je confined to thse ln ee roping to himself Some cis hive descr the aris ofthe 1970 in similar language. The new therapies spawned bythe human tential movement cording to Peter Marin, teach that thea ‘dual will all poverfal and totally determines one’ fate hus they intensify the isolation of the sel" This line of argument telongs to. 2 wel-exablahed "Ametican radtion of soci thought. Maria's plea for recogoton of “the immease made round of human communiey" reall Van Wye Broske, whe Etciaed the New England cransendentaists for ignoring “the {ena middle grou of haman raion,” Byoks betsll. wher Be formulated his ow indicrment of American culture, drew on Such caer erties ss Santayana, Henry James, Orestes Brown Son, and Tocquevl* The rca raion they eseblshed sl fas much tellus sbout the evil of untramneled inva, tot it needs to be restated to take account of the dilferences be See ineentceniry Adami andthe mri for ‘own time. The eritque of “privat,” though i helps to Sie the need for ommuniy, has become more und mute ti leading asthe possblty of genuine privacy recedes. The com: temporary Americas may have filed, likc hie predecessors, toe tab any sort of eammon if, but the integrating tendencies of ‘oder industrial ity hae atthe same te undermied bit isolation.” Having urrendered most of his tchnial lle tothe “Srp sink Conse wom cere werk12: The Catare of Nerinion the development of harsh, punitive superego tha derives most ‘tits poyelc energy nthe absence of authoritative soil pro Bion, Frm the destructive, aggresive impulses within the 3 ‘Unconslos trata slenent nthe superego come to mie frets operation Ae suthriy figures im meer society Tose the “eres” the superego in individ increstng'y ern am the sis pie na abs Bi pet Tamasee charged with adie. rage—rather than from in Cermalied ago leas formed by later experience with loved and respected dels of soca conduct” = The sgh mini pach equiv na iy demands submission to the roles of soa iereouse DO refuses fo pound those rules ins cade of moral cndvet encourages + Sm of arin tt fs ea common wh the pe tnary nrcsim ofthe joperial self Archaic ements inereas In dont pony sare antes bc the words of Mores Dike, "toward a passive ad primeval RACTNSGhich the word semi unreal, storm" The pomanial expeicnce- devouring imperial regress ino t frase nasty is ada le ir oriter wer in Nog, "where everyting ds i wraysoon orc Ivcin en te enrance, nding god 5 Theyre shoved in Icog and noing. Uhave been slowly i= solving nots envi.” ‘Seca ny sep merce ayo se cy tabs pernge ts comiy aly ier egret oa The Asarencs Movement andthe Saat Ioason of the Sf 13 Plagued by anxiety, depression, vague discontent, «sense of laner emptiness, the "peychologe man" ofthe weit sone tiny seeks neither individual seltagqrandicement nor spiton] tsanscendence bur peace of mind, under conditions that rear, ‘ugly iltate agains ic. Therapists, now press or popullr preachers of selfhelp or models of ces ike the captsite tin, ‘astry, become his peincipal allies nthe struggle for componitey ‘ms turns to them in the hope of achieving the modern equal ‘of salvation, “mental heath.” Therspy has established icles the successor both to rugged individualism and t religion, ber this does not mean thet the "iumph of the therapestic® has ‘come «new religion in ies own right, ‘Therapy constants th tirligion, no aways tobe sure becase i adogeres to eto planation or scentibe method of healings as ks prcttoneee would have us belive, bor because modem society “has no fi ‘are and therefore gives no thought to anything Beyond its ie smite needs. Even when therapists speak ofthe need or "neaning” and “love,” they define love and ineening simpy ay the flfliment ofthe patient's emotional requicmen Kady ‘crs tothem—nor is there any reason wh it should, give the ‘ture ofthe therapeu enterprise to encourage the abject to subordinate his needs and interests to those of others, to someone ‘orsome case or tradition outside himself. "Love" as self sucrioe “or selfabascnent, “meaning” a sbmistion tow higher loyteye thes sublimation trike che therapeutic sensibly intolerably ‘pytessive offensive to common sence snd injurious tn persnal hath nd well-being. To liberate humanity from such outmoded ideas of love and duty bas become the mission of the, Pant Freudian therapies and particulary oftheir converts snd poplar. izes, for whom mental health means the overthrow of mbites and the immediate gratifeaton of every impulse, From Politics to Self Examination Having displaced religion ‘asthe organizing inmework of Americas culture the therapeutic ‘urlook threxens w displce police as well the lst rege of ology. Bureauercy tansforms collective grievances in pets aceite1 5 The Calero Nasi sonal problems amenable to therapestic intervention; in elaije ing ths proces this trvaeatn of poll conf. the ne Ie ofthe sities made on fe most Enporant contrib politcal understanding. Inthe seventies, however, any former Fadia hive themselves embraced the therspeuse sensibly, Remic Davis leaves rates! politics to follow the teenage gure, “Mahar Je Abbie Hitman formes leader of the Yippee ides thats more imporeat to gt hs own ead optics {© move mules Hr onetime sca, Jerry Rubi, having Feached the dead age of thiny sc hav oud himself ace toface with his private fears and anactin,eaves rom New York t0 San Francie, where he shop srscoucly-on an apparent inexhaustibe income the spirits spermarkes ofthe Wes Cos. five yeas,” Rabin sy "on OTT to 198, Licey npeiened est, gestalt therapy, bloenrgei, oling; massage, Foasing, health foods, atch, Ealen, ypnetion, moder dares, Iediation, Siva Mind Control, Aria scupunstre, se ther Pr, Reichian therapy, and More Howse seorgasbord course te New Consciosnen™ In his copy tiled memo, Going (Up) at Thirty en, bin els the ary ie te erage ‘Alter year of neletng his body, he grve himself persion to te heathy” and uieLy let thity founds Hest fous fing, yous, sauna baths, chiropractor, snd acupuncturist hase in hie iy even he wine Spal ro ‘ess proved equalygraufying and paises. Te shed hs pee {he troy sein he “ade ve eee love myself enough 30 that I'do nor need trate to make me Seppy.” He eame to understand that his revolutionary pelle: concealed a “puritan conditening.* which ocoonaly me Hse ‘easy about his elebrity adits material toward, No stemuoes Boch exertion seem wo have been required to coneince Rain {nis O:K. to ejay the rewards of He that money brings. "He feared to pot set" hr proper place” and to ey with investing th “symbian Under he ff nee of + suecesnn of pryhic bessy he raged spit his Bent nd the righteous, punitive udp” within himsele ven, {sal etning o forgive hie parents snd his superego. He cat ‘iti shaved his betel, and ied what Tne Now “em mania! The Acorns Mov andthe Sue Inston ofthe Sep « 15 {erstrooms and noone knew who Fwas, because didn’ there inage of me Tae thiry ve but Thad aca Rubin secs his journey into myself as pantie nesiecious. test movement” ofthe seventies, Yet this “mane ele ae to he produced fw ination of el undencang a sera or caletve.Seitavarnes remains mined henge lcs: Rubin dicoses the femal in me," the ne one tact lew of homosemuliy td the eed te Seake ee wth his pues, 0 these commonplaces represented areas ss fn the hua cn A lel mip ot {he common coin sseltcortesed “media ent” sed eet it he sme hat less charaer at and ake oe for his heron write, “Ncw Son «pen Secase Iwas pepopandince sti i te 2 aly sc” Inte, be atemped wo reas te Prosraring of chidhod.” by convincing enc tee tn dsononing wil prove the hss br ad as stems che ed iy ing bret ae avis in the snes and hr errent peepee ae ov Uy and “fstings™ Like many eerie an ee Sosy a schangg coment teceune epi Sout wih egal diegeafh Sgye 3 relge fo the wr fhe nner nee ‘sal Bal Zig. hw te fii Ime fs beaone communion caged tian feymesedbenvaerofamecy prime ie Act et con frie haces rencontre.26 « The Culaveo Norio Yer the new Jefe (unlike the ol let) did begin vo adres this ‘ene, in the brief period of ts Howering in the midst. In those years, there was growing recognition —by no meanscon- fino to thowe associated wit the new litthat personal rt on tthe scale it has now assumed represents 2 pies issue in sow right and hit a thoroughgoing analysis of modern society and politics has to explain among other things why personal growth Lind development have become so ard to accomplish, why the fear of growing up and aging haunts our society, why personal relations have become so brite and precarious; and why the “inner life no longer offers any refuge from the danger around us. The emergence inthe sates of «new Inerry form, combin- ing cultural eiism, poitial reportage, and reminiscence rep- "resented an atempt ro cxplore these iesvee—toilminate te ie fersection of personal Ie and. polities, history and. private Experience. Books lke Norman Mailer Armia of he Nigh 03 “posing ofthe convention of journalistic objectivity, often pee femed more deeply ino event than accounts writen yt. legedly impatial observere The tin of the period, ia vbich the write made no effort conceal hie presence or point of view, ‘demonstrated how the act of wing could become 2 subj for Seton in is own right. Cultural rtciem took ons personal and utobiograplial character, which ae worst degenerated it {ldiepiy txts best showed thet the atempt to undertand Cleare hott include analyse of the way i shapes the etic’ ‘own consionsness Political upheavals injected themscrer ito very disesion and made it impossible to sgnoe the connections ‘between cultare snd polities. BY undermining te sion of ul tre a separate snd autonomous development unin enced by the distribution of wealth and power, the plitcl upheaval af the sinties also tended to undermine the distinction between high cu {ure and poplar cutute and to make popular culture an objet of ‘rou decision Confesion umd Anticunfssion Toe popularhy ofthe con sonal mode testifies, ofcourse, tothe nw narcissism that uns all rr a he Aarne Mocomen and the Sail Imowion of the Self «19 throogh American cure; but the best workin tht ve temps, rece through slediuclowre to achieve acca ie tence from the self nd 0 gain sigh lato te hick force ‘epee in prychologia! form, font hive made te ery oa peat eattod ieregly problema: The mere sel siie ing already presupposes sceain detachment fom the self and the object etion of ones own experience, ay prychiti stag ‘fears have shown, makes pnb foe the dep sures of grainy and exhibtionism—acr beng appropitly sie initrd timed, and neutralized eo) nd accesso sess Ye the iereasingieepencrton of fon, oaraliom, sa tobiograply undeniably indicates that many’ wetrs Bad me {nd ore itu acieve the deuchmenendieenctle tooo insea oftonazng peronal mara or otherwise reordering ic they have taken to presctingicundigestedeavng te eee fare a his own imerpretons. Intend of working thre thet memeres, many weer ow tly on mere sareeor seep th rendered speaing nots Untandng bt toh salacouscurioaty abut the privat lives of oe re, In Mailers works nd hone of ic many imitators, what Beg 4 crt refection on the wesers own ambition, fsa ae Inowledged av bid Yor itera imma, often end ies {ruber nonclgue, with the writer trading oa his ow ee ‘and og page ae pge wth mater Iavng other hoo atention than ts association with» Famous name, Ones having browghe himself ro pubs atcaton the wre eggs readyeae market for tre sontestons. Thus Eves og oer ‘inning an audience by wring swt sex witha le eng ae 4 soan itmedintely prodr sethor nove abou © yoy ‘etm whe becomes ery celeb Ehietiasamesomsnmnenneraeeae inary sef-abeervation and empathy." eeThe Calero Navision [Even the best of the confesional writers walk fine line be tween slfanalyss and sel-indulgence, Their tooke—Mailr's (Advertnoents for Mitel, Nornan Podhoce's Making 1e, Philip ‘Rots Porm Complaie, Pal Zeige The Journey, Frederick Exley's Far’ Noe—waver between hard-won personal revel thon, chastened by the anguish wth which ras gained, ad the ind of spurious confestin whose only claim tthe readers t= tention i hac describes events of immediate interest othe au thor. On the verge ofan insight, these writers een draw back, lino selepurody, seeking to disarm erties by aniipating ‘They try to charm the reader inrend of claiming significance for ‘their narrative. They uae humor not 3b much t detach them fcives from the material arto ingratitethemse ves, t© ge the feader's attention withovt asking him t0 take le writer of his fubjor seriously. Many of Densld Barthelme’ stories, so bil liane and so ofien moving in their "Critique de Is Vie Quo tidienme," suffer because of Barthelme's inability oFesist an easy Ibtgh, In “Perpetus,” for example, his stite ofthe newly toreed, with their time-kiling scability and peeudaiberte fests," collapses Inco pointless humor. er the concent she. put om er Bde jeans er shir made of luca estore scarves sewn peter her ore ad eck see, ad Perpena could sot remember what was tis year what was lest year Hed smb ast happened, o adit happene sag tire a0? Spe enet many new prope "You ae deren.” Porpeta si to Sumy Ming "Vay fu pi ow wear asa the dof Ma ‘Woody Allen, a masterfol parodit of therapeutic clichés and the selfabrorpion from which they arse, often subverts his 0 ideas withthe perfunctory, mandatory, self deprestory humor ‘that har sel Become 10 much » part of the American convers tional style, In his parodies of pseudo-introspetion in a work Withos Featerewithout hope~Alen undermines irony. with joker tht overfiow all 00 abundantly from sliniless ply The Acsarenes Movement and the Saat Invsion of te Sef «19° Ged Lod, why am Tso guy? Ie because T hated my father? Probe. sytem eer cn Wal wht ig wate. What asad ma! When my Hest play Cat for Gas wat Predost the Lyceum, he atended opening gots vy sea oe We above death 1 bothers me 20 much? Fray the hours akc he oop ity eal Half centr. Next ea, il) te'iy-oe. Them yt Cnn ths sume reg he ool ages is age 9 ach a ie ere te foe a ‘The confessional form allows an honest writer like Exley or 2Zyciw prove warowing cont of he pal deion fe tomny bo abo alles acy eter iige e inl of immodest scfreveaion whe ultimately Mees mor than cade.” The narcosis poco insigh ine hive oes son, usally expend in pyehn sc, eve him 9 Irene of dectingertcvm and dicaiming fesponlay or hivacons am svare tht tis bok states staan ase anit," wats Den Greenber in his Sag Ss Ms sir "Wel, what can Utell yous ©. mean thats what ve ‘ems hat ele new? Fim not condoning the aude, Fa ‘el coring” At Gn poi Greg debs how fe inade love cox woman who ha collapsed int sete And could not defend hers nly to inform he reer oe tex chapter, that “here wasnt singh re ig” in his case or yo est ht? Ay gM ha ec ng Trejo liad nd may o's eng i at ioc at oy ae, | Met Siioriee, 4 Sere Whie, Donsld Barthelme resons to similar device, “which agnin implicates the ender nthe wrtersiovention. lathe idle of the book, the reader finds « questionssite slicing his20 : The Caltre of Narcion eee Steyn which the nutor ha departed fom the igi ary ERASE hese sete sete stue gnc smgnnhocic fe Cnet aoe ig Cie et SC'AR semen sn Sect ected tee rae Spl sos ty a Sy tieion between truth and sion, he asks the rede to eve Sareriearteeara easements Sr iatr neater eaat re eh er a The Acsrenes Movement ond the Saal Iason of the Sfp: 24 tare his nner srugls in the bei tha dey terested sono 0¢ te lager world. Today the ants Seber ‘tc notable only fr ‘heir uter banat. Woy Al ee prc of Van Gopi ery to hi one neh te ae ies» desist preccespid with “oral propia nal work, and “the proper wy to brush Tae vgage ee Ineo dicoves nothing but « Han, The writer no eee Ie reflected his own mind. Jus che opposer te ees ae ov ever int rpines, a3 mirror of Wiel. neg sinner experienes, he orks no to prove as obcee Siemon cee ay ba osc se ging him their atten, scan, or aympathy and thane Shore up hi faesing sen of set, me The Void Within tm pe ofthe defenses wth which conten Ia contin sound thst he ods oe Se Side gins inthe mnguih hat gs nic eng See pyeie peace. Paul Zep spel of his gouge owing toa fith, tha my he wa ong) cd othe cei ache which lod uti wu Sno shiny“ he persiting “apc of posal empens ie ny aking tod my aaiur sepa on ck decorate, bt den enero cnen tame cee a ie vein Feder Esky wren “Wee orn an have calnated he nmin oon, in scroa a ee without in my unhappy ese, the ability to harness and ance ‘The mat medi, with theca of celebrity snd thir atempe & surwund i with glamour and exeemen, ane mete Nee ‘ans «ation of fans, moviegoers. The med give aban and ths itesity nari dress of fame ad por ceca age the common man to Wenily himself withthe sees ess {he herd," make more and ture sifeuh for hig soeeene the buna of everyday exitece: Frank Gilford sod te Ne York Giants, Exley wees “sontsned ov me the illsgen tefear pldleertirsody (hoes Sree eee a iees are Tike Michaclngelo's God reaching out to Adam, Tat nothing ih, aT wanes, eehg The maa en Ett nd mae tannery the apg rs Coma! poems bat a enue is sina masse ane psec ansee comets ‘too af there intervie coves Eaey hime far ore ha ‘tthe rent men ofthe went century "fifty year of rlent haem cesta ere ‘isrious importance on his Iicrary admirers and posthumous eee a The Awareness Movement and te Sa Ioasion eh Sof: 28 consciousness, the same attempt to live vicariously. though sahets nore brillant than oneselE. Susan Stern give the mpaee son that she gravitated to the Weathermen beeane ssceeee swith mafia tars ike Mark Rud and Bienadine Dura made har feel tha she had finally found her “niche in hfe” Doles prewsed bea a“queen,”a high rests” hone Spender sh iy” set er apart fom the “secondary” and "aed anion leadership" of SDS. “Whatever quality she pores Toone ie wart to be cherished and respected os Bernadine os When th eri of the Seattle 7 made Stem + medin cele nr herown ight, she found hersel"someone” at ast “tocar thee rere so many people hanging around ie, ashing me este, looking t» me for answers or just ooking se me, osdng things forme, to get some ofthe glow fromthe Helgi Nay in her “prime,” she imagined erst ad tied to impos eae 1 “ashy and vulgar, hard and funny, aggressive and deseo, “Wherever I went people loved me.” Hef cmincncr isthe ne vislnt wing of the American fl enabled her to acy bela lange audience, the fantasy of destructive rage that saderiag het desir for fame, She imagined herself an avenging Fury a Aone, ona Walkie. On the wall of he hous, she patel “an cghe, foot tall nade woman with Sowing gren-blond har nas hee lng American Hag coming ot of het catIn het aed eney se says she “had pained what I wanted tobe somewhere dey im my mind; tll and blond, nde and armed, consuming. ee ischarging—s burning Ameria” [Nether drugs nor fanasie of destruction—cvee when the fantasies are objetifed in “revolutionary prano’appene the inner bungee from which they spring. Peronal cations oon ‘0 reflect glory, on the need to admire and he are, prose Aecting ard insvistasal. Stern's friendships and bee’ eae sually ended in dislsionmene, animosity. vetimitaton, ie somphins fa inability ofel anything“ geew more oven he side, morc animated cutie.” Although here revolted aca politics, the politics world has no reality i ber memuts it igues ‘only a8 pojecton of her own rage an unesse, «drm of ‘HY and velence. Many other books of our tine, even books ar the producto politcal uphewal, convey the Same tose ote [|24: The Cultre of Navision SCHEER ate rent serine gt cae Bee? eee fay vey Pantego er sith ene helen ale Tengen pans i unger seriehs Sh ee hep wa aie naka Deeg tps ties Sree it fetes ce ne i beng nh tain ee Tin oie ea Tanne seat age i cA dann ae pe pace ec eet tea Sse a on eta ta See Re Bay oar ae city eset dak a ne wy ane ‘sito mek the angih nse nome po bl of Noe Dane Srarlbeegea atch certo Eisele a Siege trie Ses patnperve ty tay prcnidand ered wits Socitareeata. oer th el eters magne cance emvanaite comes Selig ea ee pnt ie epic feet capa te iy Cakes atone et ines ae ‘The Acres Movement andthe Saal Ison f the lp 95 $m oobody, that my identity has collapsed and deep dove, ag anes there Ie remains for Swan Mettanandae sp ee fovored by New Yorkers search of spire! beaker ee Zac ow to put bis “doubletosteep. Babee rane ee [he fly of mental process” Unie i eta, Bane ‘us experienced "ihe dliiom of relese>" Like Jory Beko {bus his "cur thi ferting of being “hen eo Res {ote destruction of hs poetic elect “No Uren eat ‘he libro selene hha anesthe thee Seco bch i “conructd of mental buspnens plat ee secssive hiking an propeid yan ed er by Te Progresive Critique of Privatom ‘The population of Beyehr: mde of hough, the send of thew ein ns movemer, the dream of fame and the sngenha faut, which all give added urgency tothe aor fe tenet have given way to the search forrelf-fuldllmene, Necnten hee become ne ofthe central theme of Americas cute Hougan, Tom Wolfe, Peer Mt Sand Sen Eaiwin Sehr, Riched Sen, "gorouly than ts used in popular socal erteen ae ae ‘sttrenest oft clinical imphessees tesa anterporay aris and ofthe new theapeaio sensibly misteny condemn the prychisnne cence ee SPINE ofthe wpper middle cus Seieatnorption mans Marin, insult afcen Americas gana he Ronen {hem gave ric ijusice ind ese ther older scence." Schur stacks the awareness crate one eee tothe welbiodo neglects those of {he poor, ahd converts “social discomcnt ty meee get ‘wag. "He thins eriminalforswhite wae cece26 Th Caltare of Navision oe to become complacent sl preoccupied while dee les for Se ow Aris sapped are” Bu he se Stn ihe rss monn pane ae ram complacency tnt fats desertion; nor this desperation ented tthe mda ca, Shr soem to ink that tet Sem provisional character of persona elton ra problem only foraitucn exccusver always onthe move: Are we tobe things are iflerene song the por that workings matiges ite happy and re of conc? that the phat fe se, ining and noamanpaive endo Sut of leh Mave epenteiy shown tat povery undermines nog a fcndchip The collar of personal ie originates nti he ‘onl torments of fftence urn the war of ll against al whch iow spreading om the lower clas where ths long raged ‘hour erupio, to thereof sce ecru the new therapies newly pensive, Schur mates the ital of supposing tho they nes problems that cones the rh abe unl are nkeremly tial sad “anred." He nit ‘Stes ies ike George and Nena O'Neil he aporties of pe tuasnge for takingesn iereiyethnocenti iw of pera {is apparently Died on their own snddleclssvlaer dex ince = ever ours exper in awareness, he compli, Fin toni eee ght ip encom’ nro avoid eto bin with” Thee experts write aif soil clases {SE cnc id nt ena Forties, Sehr fe hard {Ciimagine thatthe swarenee monement, in pte of aempt C0 populate though inexpensive mana and fee cin, ll Exe hoe noch appeal othe pro Clay, is concvale het ven # por pers might fe somewbat ‘Sr bpeval af sme ofthe new srlereaiation techies, Bat st Tappinees would tend to te shorcined. Seced nin (ching he proc the por wou ely be dvened fom te ‘more gen ako real elective teres ove urges a of advancing toe el 2a tcting ep an oversimplied oppskin betwee sued and pea owt See gee te that tl a “Gasset pnt hemes abo penn ones There Said’ secede pro expec, i The Acsrenes Movement andthe ScialImation ofthe Seif: 27 color the way we perceive it Experiences of inner emptiness, loneliness and inauthentic are by no metne aves or ft that matter, deveid of socal content; nor do they aie fom exch, sively middle. and upper-class ving conditions." They. aise from the warlike conditions that pervade American society, rom the dangers and wncerainy tht surround us, and from 2 lst a ‘afidence inthe futue- The poor have always had to efor the present, but now a desperate concern for personal survival, some ‘mes disguised as hedonism, engulfs the mide canst wll, Schur himself nots that “what seems ulimaely to emerge ‘0 of this very mixed message i an ethic of self preservation’ Bu his condemnation ofthe survival ethic as retrec ino privat, ism” misses the point. When personal relations are conducted with no other objec than psychic survival, “privatism™ no longer provides a haven fom heaeless work. On the contrary, private life thes onthe very qualities of the anarchic social evden “which itis supposed we provide a refuge. Iris the devastation of Petsonal life, no the reeat into private, that neds oe ‘Sze ad condemned. The touble with the consciousness uve. ‘ment ioe that it addresses valor unreal sues bu the Po vides “selfdefeuting. solutions. Arising “ut of. pervinive Aisatisfieton with the quallty of personal relations, R adeses People not make tolarge an ivestment in lowe ad rent te aoid excessive dependence om others, and to live forthe Mb Iment—the very conditims that create the eis of personel fla: ‘ns in te Bee pce The Criige of Priatom: Richard Sennett on the Fal Pei in “ctked Stat ee EL ‘she and penetrating than Schr ins ene ta ae he ery opposite of strong se love peseehless impli evaluation ofthe pestal eal, The best ng the Wesern cultural trainin Seats view, derive fom the ‘anions that one pla inna rans yea ‘Tse comvenns now sondenad a coring, adil and deadening to emeinal spomtancty, formerly sabe