Pluralism and Narcissism

Psychoanalysis around the world has many parallel models for conceiving of the clinical observations we make. Many of these rival theories are based on incompatible initial assumptions. Much of the problem of this pluralism arises from the psychodynamics of psychoanalysts themselves in their identification with the profession, and with the particular school of thought they trained in. This paper will attempt to trace some of these personal and group dynamics of our psychoanalytic word and of ourselves.