CentralNotice From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Social phenomenon The narcissism of small differences ( German : der Narzissmus der kleinen Differenzen ) is the thesis that communities with adjoining territories and close relationships are especially likely to engage in feuds and mutual ridicule because of hypersensitivity to details of differentiation. [1] The term was coined by Sigmund Freud in 1917, based on the earlier work of British anthropologist Ernest Crawley . In language differing only slightly from current psychoanalytic terminology, Crawley declared that each individual is separated from others by a taboo of personal isolation, a narcissism of minor differences. [2] 1 Usage 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading Usage [ edit ] The title page of Civilization and Its Discontents , in which Freud developed ...