By Dr. Keith Ablow
Oct 18, 2012 Are we raising a generation of self-conscious narcissists? A constant possibility that we carry in our pockets and purses. Mirrors and photos are key to the process. Surely this generation. Aug 12, 2015 Does this mean that we are raising a generation of entitled narcissists, probably not to the extent that we believe. When you ask an older generation if young people today are increasingly narcissistic, they may just be inclined to agree.
Published January 08, 2013
![]()
FoxNews.com
A new analysis of the American Freshman Survey, which has accumulated data for the past 47 years from 9 million young adults, reveals that college students are more likely than ever to call themselves gifted and driven to succeed, even though their test scores and time spent studying are decreasing.
Psychologist Jean Twenge, the lead author of the analysis, is also the author of a study showing that the tendency toward narcissism in students is up 30 percent in the last thirty-odd years.
This data is not unexpected. I have been writing a great deal over the past few years about the toxic psychological impact of media and technology on children, adolescents and young adults, particularly as it regards turning them into faux celebrities—the equivalent of lead actors in their own fictionalized life stories.
On Facebook, young people can fool themselves into thinking they have hundreds or thousands of “friends.” They can delete unflattering comments. They can block anyone who disagrees with them or pokes holes in their inflated self-esteem. They can choose to show the world only flattering, sexy or funny photographs of themselves (dozens of albums full, by the way), “speak” in pithy short posts and publicly connect to movie stars and professional athletes and musicians they “like.”
Using Twitter, young people can pretend they are worth “following,” as though they have real-life fans, when all that is really happening is the mutual fanning of false love and false fame.
Using computer games, our sons and daughters can pretend they are Olympians, Formula 1 drivers, rock stars or sharpshooters. And while they can turn off their Wii and Xbox machines and remember they are really in dens and playrooms on side streets and in triple deckers around America, that is after their hearts have raced and heads have swelled with false pride for “being” something they are not.
On MTV and other networks, young people can see lives just like theirs portrayed on reality TV shows fueled by such incredible self-involvement and self-love that any of the “real-life” characters should really be in psychotherapy to have any chance at anything like a normal life.
These are the psychological drugs of the 21st Century and they are getting our sons and daughters very sick, indeed.
As if to keep up with the unreality of media and technology, in a dizzying paroxysm of self-aggrandizing hype, town sports leagues across the country hand out ribbons and trophies to losing teams, schools inflate grades, energy drinks in giant, colorful cans take over the soft drink market, and psychiatrists hand out Adderall like candy.
All the while, these adolescents, teens and young adults are watching a Congress that can’t control its manic, euphoric, narcissistic spending, a president that can’t see his way through to applauding genuine and extraordinary achievements in business, a society that blames mass killings on guns, not the psychotic people who wield them, and—here no surprise—a stock market that keeps rising and falling like a roller coaster as bubbles inflate and then, inevitably, burst.
That’s really the unavoidable end, by the way. False pride can never be sustained. The bubble of narcissism is always at risk of bursting. That’s why young people are higher on drugs than ever, drunker than ever, smoking more, tattooed more, pierced more and having more and more and more sex, earlier and earlier and earlier, raising babies before they can do it well, because it makes them feel special, for a while. They’re doing anything to distract themselves from the fact that they feel empty inside and unworthy.
Distractions, however, are temporary, and the truth is eternal. Watch for an epidemic of depression and suicidality, not to mention homicidality, as the real self-loathing and hatred of others that lies beneath all this narcissism rises to the surface. I see it happening and, no doubt, many of you do, too.
![]()
We had better get a plan together to combat this greatest epidemic as it takes shape. Because it will dwarf the toll of any epidemic we have ever known. And it will be the hardest to defeat. Because, by the time we see the scope and destructiveness of this enemy clearly, we will also realize, as the saying goes, that it is us.
Is the current generation really more narcissistic? In the last decade, many books and articles distinguished the Millennials (born 1982 to 1999) as helpful, civically oriented young adults who wanted to save the planet. More recently, others have argued the exact opposite; they claim that Millennials feel entitled, are self-centered, and uninterested in anything other than themselves. Which is right — are Millennials Generation We or Generation Me?
Generation WE
The first books written about Millennials were glowing accolades that predicted that Millennials would resemble the generation who fought World War II: conformist, socially conservative, and highly involved in the community and interested in government. (Millennials Rising–The Next Great Generation by Neil Howe and William Strauss). In the years that followed, numerous books and news reports emphasized the Millennials’ desire to help others, become involved in politics and government, and work toward improving the environment. “Generation We” is non-cynical and civic-minded. They believe in the value of political engagement and are convinced that government can be a powerful force for good,” wrote Eric Greenberg and Karl Weber in their 2008 book Generation We. They based their opinions on the rise in volunteering and interviewed Millennials, but didn’t compare those responses to data from previous generations.
Generation ME
However, in Jean Twenge’s 2006 book Generation Me, she presented data showing generational increases in self-esteem, assertiveness, self-importance, narcissism, and high expectations, based on surveys of 1.2 million young people (some data was even available from the 1920’s) spanning several generations. Her analyses indicated a clear cultural shift toward individualism and focusing on the self. But perhaps both views were correct — maybe Millennials’ increasing self-importance found has found an outlet in helping others and caring about larger social causes. So let us take a look at some of the other studies that have been done.
The Studies
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health surveyed 35,000 Americans about symptoms that can indicate Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), the more severe form of narcissism. They asked if someone had ever experienced these symptoms in their lifetime, so you’d expect that older people would have a much higher rate than younger people since they’ve lived more years. However, the data showed the polar opposite: only 3% of people over 65 had ever experienced NPD, compared to nearly 10% of people in their twenties. With almost 1 out of 10 people in their twenties already experiencing NPD, it’s frightening to realize how high that number could rise in the coming years.
Psychologist Jean Twenge, the lead author of the analysis in Generation Me, is also the author of a study showing that traits of narcissism in students have increased 30 percent in the last thirty years. So what do the data show? The results for civic engagement were clear: Millennials were less likely than Boomers and even GenXers to say they thought about social problems, to be interested in politics and government, to contact public officials, or to work for a political campaign. They were less likely to say they trusted the government to do what’s right, and less likely to say they were interested in government and current events. The results certainly don’t support Howe and Strauss’ prediction of Millennials as “The Next Great Generation” in civic involvement.
Millennials were also less likely to say they did things to conserve energy and help the environment, and less likely to agree that government should take action on environmental issues. Gta 5 license key generator. Three times as many Millennials as Boomers said they made no personal effort to help the environment.
Jean Twenge, the professor of psychology at San Diego State University and the author of her latest book The Narcissism Epidemic, sums up her findings:
“We found that… college students in the 2000s were significantly more narcissistic than Gen Xers and Baby Boomers in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. The Boomers, a generation famous for being self-absorbed, were outdone by their children. Bitdefender total security key. By 2006, two-thirds of college students scored above the scale’s original 1979-85 sample average, a 30% increase in only two decades… The upswing in narcissism appears to be accelerating: the increase between 2000 and 2006 was especially steep.”
We Are Raising A Generation Of Deluded Narcissists Answer Key Free
One study found that 30 percent of young people were classified as narcissistic according to a widely used psychological test measuring traits of narcissism. Another study reported a 40 percent decline since the 1980”s in empathy among young people; a lack of empathy is a defining characteristic of narcissism. So what has caused this increase in narcissism? Has the externalization of children’s self-identities, caused by popular culture and social media, resulted in an unhealthy internal focus on the self? Is it the toxic psychological impact of media and technology on children and adolescents? Many of the articles currently published seem to think so.
Influences
An interesting study explored the changes in music lyrics over the past three decades. The researchers found a significant shift toward lyrics that reflect narcissism (“I” and “me” appear more often than “we” and “us”) and hostility (change from positive to angry words and emotions). These findings aren’t just due to the increased popularity and influence of hip-hop music (notorious for its self-absorption, grandiose artists and the venom of its messages), but rather are evident across all musical genres.
Other research suggests that social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, promote narcissism as they encourages self-importance and give young people outlets for gaining constant attention. Furthermore, all of the time absorbed in screens has reduced the amount of actual face-to-face contact that children have, thus depriving them of the experiences needed to develop empathy, compassion, and consideration for others.
We Are Raising A Generation Of Deluded Narcissists Answer Key Crossword
On Facebook, young people can deceive themselves into thinking they have hundreds or even thousands of fans or “friends.” They can block anyone who disagrees with them or delete comments that contradict their inflated self-esteem. They can choose to show the world only flattering, sexy or funny photographs of themselves.
Using Twitter, young people can continue the pretense that they are worth “following,” as though they have real-life fans, when all that is really happening is the mutual fanning of false love and false fame.
With the frequent use of computer games, children and adolescents can act as if they were Olympians, Formula 1 drivers, or rock stars. On MTV and other networks, these young people can see lives- just like theirs- portrayed on reality TV shows that are fueled by abnormal and unhealthy self-involvement and self-love.
These are the psychological drugs of the 21st Century and they may be getting our young people very addicted.
We must be aware of the potential toxic impact of media and technology on children and adolescents. It can promote the faux sense of celebrity status—the equivalent of lead actors in their own fictionalized life stories. Although it may not be the cause of increasing narcissism, it certainly adds fuel to the fire.
References:
http://under30ceo.com/is-gen-y-the-most-narcissistic-generation-ever/
We Are Raising A Generation Of Deluded Narcissists Answer Key 2
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/08/are-raising-generation-deluded-narcissists/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/media-creating-generation-narcissists_b_2005163.html
We Are Raising A Generation Of Deluded Narcissists Answer Key Crossword
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/05/millennials-the-greatest-generation-or-the-most-narcissistic/256638/
We Are Raising A Generation Of Deluded Narcissists Answer Key 2016
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-narcissism-epidemic/200905/is-there-epidemic-narcissism-today
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
November 2020
Categories |