Individuation and Narcissism: The Psychology of the Self in Jung and Kohut

Rating:
Summary: Narcissistic Disturbances
Review: Mario Jacoby has written a straightforward, no nonsense book in his work "Individuation & Narcissism." If truly recognized as an effort to compare "The Psychology of Self in Jung & Kohut," one can understand the difficulty of comparison in paralleling two different psychoanalytic careers in two different continents with two remarkably different approaches in mind. Yet, one must appreciate and recognize that the work of these two men in psycho-analytic-self-object psychology (Jung's unique presentation of Psycho-Analytical and Archetypal Psychology) and psychoanalytic theory (especially the Narcissistic and Borderline Personality emphasis of Kohut as Self-Object Psychology) has a very interesting, meaningful, and useful communications overlap.

Mario Jacoby does make this overlap of interest meaningful and rewarding for those who have a necessary (but not necessarily completed) background in reading Jung and Kohut to follow and understand his presentation of their views of the self. In my own readings of these master-minds, I interpret Jung as a lofty-spritualizing-cultural personality; while, Kohut strikes me as being a "down-to-earth" hardcore realist in dealing with the personality problems of boarderline narcissistic disturbances. The very nature of this comparative work is a challenge, but someone with competence and a high degree of credibility had to do it, and this effort to offer a comprehensive introductory comparison of these two men and their thoughts regarding psycho-analysis as a healing develop-mental process is very worthy.

In the Jungian work "Celebrating Soul: Preparing for the New Religion" by Lawrence W. Jaffe, I found myself reflecting on an interpretation that the new temple will take (based on Jung's projected interpretation of a dream) six hundred years. Symbolically and structurally understood in my thoughts, each pillar of this new system will represent a comprehensive variation of emerging pscho-analytical develop-mental systems. Hence, Jacoby's comparative work may subscribe to Jung's notion that any fixed psycho-analytical or theraputic system is not worth very much if it cannot add or learn something new about our-selves. I personally found many areas of Jacoby's presentation offering something new to my own understanding of my-self, my life experiences, and my life-long interest in psycho-analytical thought as a healing develop-mental field, and as a universal psychologism of learning to be a humane human being. With this in mind, I sense that a well-grounded foundation in Jungian Psychology makes Heinz Kohut's work in Self-Object Psychology much more meaningful and useful in terms of a global theraputic and cultural application; especially, for those who are interested in pursuing "Self-Analysis"...as a universal practice of self-discipline and personal maintenance.

Rating:
Summary: Narcissistic Disturbances
Review: Mario Jacoby has written a straightforward, no nonsense book in his work "Individuation & Narcissism." If truly recognized as an effort to compare "The Psychology of Self in Jung & Kohut," one can understand the difficulty of comparison in paralleling two different psychoanalytic careers in two different continents with two remarkably different approaches in mind. Yet, one must appreciate and recognize that the work of these two men in psycho-analytic-self-object psychology (Jung's unique presentation of Psycho-Analytical and Archetypal Psychology) and psychoanalytic theory (especially the Narcissistic and Borderline Personality emphasis of Kohut as Self-Object Psychology) has a very interesting, meaningful, and useful communications overlap.

Mario Jacoby does make this overlap of interest meaningful and rewarding for those who have a necessary (but not necessarily completed) background in reading Jung and Kohut to follow and understand his presentation of their views of the self. In my own readings of these master-minds, I interpret Jung as a lofty-spritualizing-cultural personality; while, Kohut strikes me as being a "down-to-earth" hardcore realist in dealing with the personality problems of boarderline narcissistic disturbances. The very nature of this comparative work is a challenge, but someone with competence and a high degree of credibility had to do it, and this effort to offer a comprehensive introductory comparison of these two men and their thoughts regarding psycho-analysis as a healing develop-mental process is very worthy.

In the Jungian work "Celebrating Soul: Preparing for the New Religion" by Lawrence W. Jaffe, I found myself reflecting on an interpretation that the new temple will take (based on Jung's projected interpretation of a dream) six hundred years. Symbolically and structurally understood in my thoughts, each pillar of this new system will represent a comprehensive variation of emerging pscho-analytical develop-mental systems. Hence, Jacoby's comparative work may subscribe to Jung's notion that any fixed psycho-analytical or theraputic system is not worth very much if it cannot add or learn something new about our-selves. I personally found many areas of Jacoby's presentation offering something new to my own understanding of my-self, my life experiences, and my life-long interest in psycho-analytical thought as a healing develop-mental field, and as a universal psychologism of learning to be a humane human being. With this in mind, I sense that a well-grounded foundation in Jungian Psychology makes Heinz Kohut's work in Self-Object Psychology much more meaningful and useful in terms of a global theraputic and cultural application; especially, for those who are interested in pursuing "Self-Analysis"...as a universal practice of self-discipline and personal maintenance.

Rating:
Summary: Kohut and Jung
Review: No other concept in depth psychology provoked so much controversy and spawned so many schools of thought as the Self. This book is a magnificent tour d'horizon, spanning the crucial decades from Freud to Jung and therefrom to Kohut.

The book demonstrates that, in a way, Heinz Kohut merely took Jung a step further and invented a new vocabulary to rephrase some of Jung's insights. He said that pathological narcissism is not the result of excessive narcissism, libido or aggression.

It is the result of defective, deformed or incomplete narcissistic (self) structures. Kohut postulated the existence of core constructs which he named: the Grandiose Exhibitionistic Self and the Idealized Parent Imago (see below). Children entertain notions of greatness (primitive or naive grandiosity) mingled with magical thinking, feelings of omnipotence and omniscience and a belief in their immunity to the consequences of their actions. These elements and the child's feelings regarding its parents (which are also painted by it with a brush of omnipotence and grandiosity) - coagulate and form these constructs.

The child's feelings towards its parents are reactions to their responses (affirmation, buffering, modulation or disapproval, punisment, even abuse).

These responses help maintain the self-structures. Without the appropriate responses, grandiosity, for instance, cannot be transformed into adult ambitions and ideals.

To Kohut, grandiosity and idealization were positive childhood development mechanisms. Even their reappearance in transference should not be considered a pathological narcissistic regression. am Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Cross-Fertilization
Review: This clearly written book offers sensitive and empathic reflections on the narcissistic condition. It does so by frequent references to the ideas formulated by Heinz Kohut and his school of thought ("Self Psychology"). Kohut had many compelling insights into narcissism and his theories marked a paradigm shift in psychoanalysis. Jacoby compares Kohut's formulations to Jungian thought, often translating Kohut's ideas or insights into Jungian language and constructs. I found this to be extremely helpful in fleshing out some of the high-level, intuitive abstractions of the Jungian school. For example, I don't think I've ever come across a clearer presentation of the Jungian conception of individuation.

I believe this book will appeal to anyone wishing to learn more about narcissistic wounding and character structures. As Jacoby points out, narcissistic disturbances affect one's sense of identity and self-esteem and are thus implicated in almost all forms of psychic disorders. In other words, narcissism is relevant.