ABSTRACT
Cultural pessimism is rife these days, the more so since the European referendum in the United Kingdom (UK) and the election of Donald Trump in the USA. Misha Glenny in his account of The Fall of Yugoslavia writes of the poor rural flatlands in the interior of the Dalmatian coast. Misha Glenny's account of the breakup of Yugoslavia shows a conflict that goes beyond the 'normal' conflicts of interest between human social groups that might underpin wars and civil and political struggles. In psychoanalytic theory aggression is not normally considered to be inherently pathological. Indeed, a degree of aggression is necessary for normal functioning. W. R. Bion noted that in small groups there is a propensity for regression when the basic reality-orientated task of the group is frustrated or fails. According to Kernberg these regressive processes in failing unstructured large groups tend to produce, as a 'solution', either a narcissistic or a paranoid group, with accordingly narcissistic or paranoid leaders.
