ABSTRACT
Herbert Rosenfeld was one of England’s most eminent clinical theorists. In his study of the narcissistic personality disorder he happened upon a metaphor that, long after his death, has influenced generations of clinicians around the world. Rosenfeld likened the mind of the narcissist to a mafia gang, 1 ruled by a powerful leader – a Mafia Don – that was a distillation of all the destructive parts of a personality. Manipulative, cynical, guiltless, murderous, it silenced the good parts of a personality through sheer intimidation. It paid off destructive actions through an imposition of group loyalty and fidelity to the dominant part of the personality and created an inner sense of cohesion based on hate.
