The Agonies of Narcissism

Why do we surrender to circumstances? Or in Spinoza’s words: How is it that »people fight for their servitude as if it were for their salvation «? This question must be asked over and over again – but especially in times of crisis and uncertainty. The answer today is surely: Narcissism is a social requirement of every individual: You must become more than you are – you must become your ideal. But what does it mean for society if an anti-social principle becomes the dominant ideology?

Isolde Charim explains with impressive clarity why we voluntarily submit to the »Agonies of Narcissism.«

WINNER OF THE TRACTATUS AWARD 2023

»Charim makes things visible that we all realise but don’t fully understand.« Sieglinde Geisel, WDR

“A spectacular analysis of who we really are - as opposed to who we think we are. We are all narcissists - and we can't change that until we understand it. A must-read." – TAZ

"With her book, Isolde Charim has presented a demanding scientific work that nevertheless reads well and makes her clever thought process comprehensible (...). She does not judge, but describes her perceptions in a pleasantly matter-of-fact and unagitated manner."- Tagespost