The Culture of Narcissism 

By Christopher Lasch.

-Recommended by Traversing Tradition-

Many modern critiques on modernity miss one crucial aspect: namely, the personality makeup of the modern man. From Ghazali, we know the Muslim is not just the performer of certain rituals but the one who maintains certain states of heart. Lasch is a thinker in the same respect who looks at the heart of modern man, not so much in relation to modernity as much as American culture, but reveals important insights for us as Muslims investigating the modern world. The modern person is fundamentally narcissistic and our culture promotes a kind of endless exultation of one’s own self. Branding, ostentation, performance, self-love are all commodities and exports of American culture and sentiment post WW2, which Lasch traces from politics to religion. In this book, Muslims can learn about a parallel consideration of how the modern world creates a personality type consistent with various diseases of the heart. 

Compiled by Aqil Azme and Faizan Malik.