The Structure of the Self as a Transformation of Narcissistic Libido

The self for Kohut is a transformation of narcissistic libido, which he defines in terms of its qualities rather than its object (as Freud does), and, hence, sees it as a primal pressure to relate to perfection and grandiosity. I describe the transformation of an infantile sense of perfection into an idealization of caretakers and then into ideals and the transformation of infantile grandiosity into ambitions. I then analyze Kohut’s notion of the tension gradient as that which unites the two poles of the self and his concept of the nuclear self. I explore what Kohut might mean by identifying the self as a content but not an agency, a configuration, and a sector of subjectivity. I conclude by elaborating his concept of mature narcissism as involving empathy, creativity, humor, transience, and wisdom.