Lacking in scientific rigour
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This book is ambitious and the subject is very topical. However, the exposition is markedly lacking in scientific rigour. Narcissism seems to include virtually every neurotic symptom and the theoretical assumptions are questionable. For instance, Asper argues that typical of the narcissists is that they don't remember their childhood. Hence, one must insist that they try to remember. This is very questionable, as patients easily can fabricate memories. For example, one patient finally remembered that her mother said to the little girl that she should "dig her own grave every day" and that she should allow no rewards for herself and only think of others. One wonders whether this is not a fabricated image of the "archetypal witch". But what is most disturbing about the book is the extreme reduction of the myths and fairytales she retells. They are reduced to neurotical etiologies of a disturbed ego. However, the individuals in the fairytale are really abstractions, that is, they are "archetypes". What's more, the story concerns not neurotical symptoms but are in fact expressions of the hardships and problems that we all encounter during life's course. Her reductive interpretations are detrimental to the healing element of the myth. In reality, the fairytale and myth try to occasion a transcending of the trivial little ego-world so that we can see the whole perspective. But in Asper's understanding, it's the other way round. It concerns nothing but this little ego-world. Thereby the fairytales are trivialized. Nevertheless, the book contains much information about this particular type of neurosis so it is definitely not useless. Mats W
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The Spectrum of Abuse
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This book is a vivid delight: patients' case histories, patient drawings and the paraphrenalia of a therapist's existence. Underneath this colourful maelstrom lies an hypothesis: pathological narcissism is the direct outcome of early childhood abuse and trauma, mainly in the form of abandonment or neglect. Narcissism, in other words, is a defence against hurt and emotional injury. To eradicate it, one must revert to one's roots and deal with unrsolved pain and conflict with caregivers and significant others (in other words, one's mother). This is the orthodoxy and it is supported by a large body of therapeutical experience. Yet, the author neglects to review the entire spectrum of abuse - from physical to verbal, from smothering to ignoring, from doting to absence. A child treated as a parent's precious extension, the parent's only shot at wish fulfillment and a parent's favourite toy is no less abused than a child abandoned and beaten. this book, in other words, deals with a niche - with ONE of the possible dynamics that lead to narcissism. Otherwise, this is recommended reading. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".
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The Spectrum of Abuse
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This book is a vivid delight: patients' case histories, patient drawings and the paraphrenalia of a therapist's existence. Underneath this colourful maelstrom lies an hypothesis: pathological narcissism is the direct outcome of early childhood abuse and trauma, mainly in the form of abandonment or neglect. Narcissism, in other words, is a defence against hurt and emotional injury. To eradicate it, one must revert to one's roots and deal with unrsolved pain and conflict with caregivers and significant others (in other words, one's mother). This is the orthodoxy and it is supported by a large body of therapeutical experience. Yet, the author neglects to review the entire spectrum of abuse - from physical to verbal, from smothering to ignoring, from doting to absence. A child treated as a parent's precious extension, the parent's only shot at wish fulfillment and a parent's favourite toy is no less abused than a child abandoned and beaten. this book, in other words, deals with a niche - with ONE of the possible dynamics that lead to narcissism. Otherwise, this is recommended reading. Sam Vaknin, author of "malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".
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