Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From the author of Think , an enlightening and entertaining exploration of narcissism and self-esteem

Everyone deplores narcissism, especially in others. The vain are by turns annoying or absurd, offending us whether they are blissfully oblivious or proudly aware of their behavior. But are narcissism and vanity really as bad as they seem? Can we avoid them even if we try? In Mirror, Mirror , Simon Blackburn, the author of such best-selling philosophy books as Think , Being Good , and Lust , says that narcissism, vanity, pride, and self-esteem are more complex than they first appear and have innumerable good and bad forms. Drawing on philosophy, psychology, literature, history, and popular culture, Blackburn offers an enlightening and entertaining exploration of self-love, from the myth of Narcissus and the Christian story of the Fall to today's self-esteem industry.

A sparkling mixture of learning, humor, and style, Mirror, Mirror examines what great thinkers have said about self-love--from Aristotle, Cicero, and Erasmus to Rousseau, Adam Smith, Kant, and Iris Murdoch. It considers today's "me"-related obsessions, such as the "selfie," plastic surgery, and cosmetic enhancements, and reflects on connected phenomena such as the fatal commodification of social life and the tragic overconfidence of George W. Bush and Tony Blair. Ultimately, Mirror, Mirror shows why self-regard is a necessary and healthy part of life. But it also suggests that we have lost the ability to distinguish--let alone strike a balance--between good and bad forms of self-concern.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. ix)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• Chapter 1 The Self: Iris Murdoch and Uncle William (p. 12)
• Chapter 2 Liriope's Son (p. 35)
• Chapter 3 Worth It? (p. 44)
• Chapter 4 Hubris and the Fragile Self (p. 61)
• Chapter 5 Self-Esteem, Amour Propre, Pride (p. 79)
• Chapter 6 Respect (p. 109)
• Chapter 7 Temptation (p. 132)
• Chapter 8 Integrity, Sincerity, Authenticity (p. 163)
• Chapter 9 Envoi (p. 187)
• Notes (p. 191)
• Index (p. 203)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Quoting Miss Piggy and Wittgenstein with equal ease, Blackburn (Univ. of Cambridge, UK) maps the terrain of self-love in its many manifestations from self-esteem to vanity, narcissism, and beyond. Accepting the view of Daniel Dennett and others that the self is an epiphenomenon--that there is no substantial self or metaphysical subject--Blackburn equates one's self with one's life. The question becomes how self-love affects the living of life. The issue is of no mere academic interest. From the cosmetic company's appeal to customers, "because you're worth it," to the outsize compensation for CEOs and hedge fund managers, excessive self-worth leads to kleptoparasitism. This is another term for the greed-is-good culture that convinces the well-off that they deserve their outsize rewards. With Aristotle, Rousseau, and Kant as guides, Blackburn describes a kind of proper pride that leads to self-respect and noble behavior. In contrast is the Christian warning that pride is the deadliest of all sins. The ancient texts and myths all say that excessive self-regard is a bad thing. This book explains why this is so. A good index and endnotes make this a complete package. --David Stewart, Ohio University

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Simon Blackburn taught philosophy for many years at the University of Oxford, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the University of Cambridge. He is the author of many notable books, including Think and Being Good .