Re: Humanism: Hierarchy In the Forest: inequality is not the same as ex

In reference to the narcissism post, it would seem well to resurrect
Christopher Lasch here.  Lasch has the advantage of not needing to posit a
trans-historical innate human narcissm.  For him (Culture of Narcissism),
narcissism results from humans being left with infantile, unfilled in by
realistic experience with appropriate human authority, superegos in
circumstances where human institutions fail to provide adaquate supportive
(and controlling) socialization.  This could either befall rich (the
Kennedys?) or poor (the stickup man) individuals.  These persons X-out
their primitive punishing overweaning superegos and do as they please.  

Lasch believes that the weakening of appropriate group superego is
directly due to anomic industrial society.  This argument avoids needing
to fall back on biological reductivism to explain narcisism.