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Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries
Distinguished Clinical Professor of Leadership Development and Organizational Change
Keywords
Gemeinschaft; Gesellschaft; “I” Society; Collectivism; Individualism; Narcissism; Self-esteem movement; Social media; Millennials;
Working Paper
This article explores the difference between Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft (a distinction originally made by the sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies) and suggests there has been a strong shift towards Gesellschaft—a societal model where human associations are governed by rationality and self-interest, and interactions are of a more impersonal nature. With this transition has come a rise in individualism, contributing to the emergence of the “I” society—a social entity that is characterized by conspicuous narcissistic behavior.