Politics suggests a common purpose that binds individuals into a group with a collective conviction, based on principle. Psychoanalysis is concerned with the character of the internal world and with how society sees itself: common purpose may be an idealization and conviction may rest on narcissism, supported by projection. Habermas has explored the right of parents genetically to design their children (a conviction), and the implications for the children's identity and, especially, for the “ethical self-understanding of the species” that allows it (a social self-reflection). This paper develops Habermas' theme in the direction of a psychoanalytic self-awareness in society. It compares the sense of common purpose and conviction with a pluralism, arguing that the former is supported by “projective communication”, while the latter is conflicted in its sense of purpose and conviction, and is supported by “informative communication”. Projective communication undermines the tolerant political process of informative communication, and psychoanalytic self-awareness mitigates these destructive tendencies.