fei75766_ch06_179-205.indd 195  02/06/20 11:32 AM
Chapter 6    Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory195
pretending tobeknowledgeable, competent, andsincere. I’mreally afraud, butno
oneknows itbutme.”Self-accusation maytakeavariety offorms—from obviously 
grandiose expressions, suchastaking responsibility fornatural disasters, toscrupu -
lously questioning thevirtue oftheirownmotivations.
Third, self-hatred maytaketheform ofself-contempt, which might beexpressed 
asbelittling, disparaging, doubting, discrediting, andridiculing oneself. Self-contempt 
prevents people from striving forimprovement orachievement. Ayoung manmay
saytohimself, “You conceited idiot! What makes youthink youcangetadatewith
thebest-looking woman intown?” Awoman mayattribute hersuccessful career to
“luck.” Although these people maybeaware oftheirbehavior, theyhavenopercep -
tionoftheself-hatred thatmotivates it.
Afourth expression ofself-hatred isself-frustration. Horney (1950) distin -
guished between healthy self-discipline andneurotic self-frustration. Theformer 
involves postponing orforgoing pleasurable activities inorder toachieve reasonable 
goals. Self-frustration stems from self-hatred andisdesigned toactualize aninflated 
self-image. Neurotics arefrequently shackled bytaboos against enjoyment. “Idon’t 
deserve anewcar.” “Imust notwear niceclothes because many people around 
theworld areinrags.” “Imust notstrive forabetter jobbecause I’mnotgood 
enough forit.”
Fifth, self-hatred maybemanifested asself-torment, orself-torture. Although 
self-torment canexistineachoftheother forms ofself-hatred, itbecomes aseparate 
category when people’s main intention istoinflict harm orsuffering onthemselves. 
Some people attain masochistic satisfaction byanguishing overadecision, exaggerat -
ingthepainofaheadache, cutting themselves withaknife, starting afightthatthey
aresuretolose,orinviting physical abuse.
Thesixth andfinalform ofself-hatred isself-destructive actions and impulses, 
which maybeeither physical orpsychological, conscious orunconscious, acute or
chronic, carried outinaction orenacted onlyintheimagination. Overeating, abusing 
alcohol andother drugs, working toohard, driving recklessly, andsuicide arecom-
monexpressions ofphysical self-destruction. Neurotics mayalsoattack themselves 
psychologically, forexample, quitting ajobjustwhen itbegins tobefulfilling, break -
ingoffahealthy relationship infavor ofaneurotic one,orengaging inpromiscuous 
sexual activities.
Horney (1950) summarized theneurotic search forglory anditsattendant self-
hatred withthese descriptive words:
Surveying self-hate anditsravaging force, wecannot helpbutseeinitagreat 
tragedy, perhaps thegreatest tragedy ofthehuman mind. Maninreaching outfor
theInfinite andAbsolute alsostarts destroying himself. When hemakes apactwith
thedevil, whopromises himglory, hehastogotohell—to thehellwithin himself. 
(p.154)
Feminine Psychology
Asawoman trained inthepromasculine psychology ofFreud, Horney gradually real-
izedthatthetraditional psychoanalytic viewofwomen wasskewed. Shethensetforth 
herowntheory, onethatrejected several ofFreud’s basic ideas.Final PDF to printer