Charisma: A Psychoanalytic Look at Mass Society

In this study Dr. Schiffer explores the sources and ingredients of the power of charisma. He theorizes that the image of the idealized man or charismatic leader is created by the populace at large. This hero or heroine contains a blend of the following characteristics: a spice of foreignness, some subtle stigma or defect, a calling to public service, a competitive stance against an opponent, an aura of social station and associated wealth, a certain mystique of sexuality, theatricality, and a novel lifestyle. Each individual contributes his own unique developmental conflicts and heroic imagery to the creation of this composite figure. Dr. Schiffer presents an intriguing modification of Freud’s views on group psychology, proposing the mother instead of the father as the pivotal figure in personal growth, and he extends this argument into the sphere of leadership and politics.