Discontent and its civilizations. What is cultural narcissism?

Abstract

The article examines the literature concerning the phenomenon of the so-called “cultural narcissism”. In particular, it focuses on the relationship between the spread of new forms of psychological suffering and socio-economic and cultural changes occurred since the second half of last century. Studies are reported that indicate the manifestation, at the collective level, of traits recognizable as narcissistic. Finally it tries to clarify, deepening the relationship between the pathology of culture and the pathology of the individual, the scientific value of an expression such as “society of narcissism”.