Psychosis and Power: Threats to democracy in the self and the group

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version
Title Psychosis and Power: Threats to democracy in the self and the group
Publication Type Book
Pub Year 1995
Authors Glass, J. M.
Publisher Cornell University Press
Keywords diversity, group narcissism, organizational ideal, panopticism
Notes diversity"It is critical that we take the 'different' into account, that we allow for its expression, refuse to be pushed into cynicism by negative passion, learn not to hate difference, respect the 'distinctive features' of what is other." (p. 9)
panopticism"Bentham's panoptical vision served as an icon for a type of punishment society accepted as essential for its well-being. Panoptical power, however, is only one form of power, and the weakness in Foucault's argument is that it overlooks political concepts of power which depend in large measure on leaders' ideological and public pronouncements and on the willingness of followers to embrace the messages, intents, and weaknesses of their leaders." (p. 112)
group narcissism, organizational ideal"When groups act according to the narcissistic dictates of the ego ideal, when they seem focused only on a set of assumptions that reinforce closed systems of belief, groups have the potential of becoming psychotic. To put it another way, the collective regresses toward more absolutist forms of thinking." (p. 196)
URL http://books.google.com/books?id=IiwpEl4\_xqoC