Narcissism of small differences

In psychoanalysis, the narcissism of small differences (German: der Narzissmus der kleinen Differenzen) is the idea that the more a relationship or community shares commonalities, the more likely the people in it are to engage in interpersonal feuds and mutual ridicule because of hypersensitivity to minor differences perceived in each other.[1] The term was coined by Sigmund Freud in 1917, based on the earlier work of English anthropologist Ernest Crawley. Crawley theorized that each individual is separated from others by a taboo of personal isolation, which is effectively a narcissism of minor differences.[2]

  1. ^ Sigmund Freud, Civilization, Society and Religion (Penguin Freud Library 12), p. 131 and p. 305
  2. ^ Sigmund Freud, On Sexuality (Penguin Freud Library 7), 1991, p. 272

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