We are raising a generation of deluded narcissists

[JBond]

I found this interesting. Having returned to college a couple of years ago at age 38 I see many of the points made played out every day.

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.

[View Full Quote]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.”...

...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.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/...#ixzz2Hb7n57Zs

[Future]

I think some of that stems from the fact that many kids are trained, in high school as well as college, that confidence and being able to sell yourself is key to getting a job in today's workplace. Many are also taught that anything is possible with hard work, without being given a concrete definition of hard work. Combine that with a major sense of entitlement, and you get individuals who trick themselves into believing that they are more skilled than they actually are.

[Chocolate Lab]

Originally Posted by Future

I think some of that stems from the fact that many kids are trained, in high school as well as college, that confidence and being able to sell yourself is key to getting a job in today's workplace.

I was going to say something along those lines.

But maybe even more, I wonder how much of this is caused by all the PC "self-esteem" training that has gone on in schools and elsewhere for so long now. Don't give grades because kids who get a bad one will feel bad about themselves... That kind of thing.

For a while now, certain people have been convinced that making kids feel great about themselves is more important than anything. Maybe they've gotten their wish.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Lab

I was going to say something along those lines.

But maybe even more, I wonder how much of this is caused by all the PC "self-esteem" training that has gone on in schools and elsewhere for so long now. Don't give grades because kids who get a bad one will feel bad about themselves... That kind of thing.

For a while now, certain people have been convinced that making kids feel great about themselves is more important than anything. Maybe they've gotten their wish.

I think you're absolutely right. Rewarding everything just makes kids lazy. I will never understand how people don't see the value in, for lack of better terms, winning and losing.

[DallasCowpoke]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Lab

But maybe even more, I wonder how much of this is caused by all the PC "self-esteem" training that has gone on in schools and elsewhere for so long now. Don't give grades because kids who get a bad one will feel bad about themselves... That kind of thing.

My sentiments 100%! A few other things that have bothered me for a long time.

1) Having kids participate in a team sport, then not keeping score.
2) "Time outs".
3) Graduations from ANY grade lower than High School!

[WV Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Future

Combine that with a major sense of entitlement, and you get individuals who trick themselves into believing that they are more skilled than they actually are.

Entitlement is a major problem.

Work ethic is lacking.

Manners are lacking, compassion, respect, humility are all lacking.

[burmafrd]

kids have been taught over the last 20 years that they are so important. Everything is about them.

So no wonder what you get is a bunch of never will be's


since they have been convinced they are already there

[TheCount]

Watching an older generation talk about the younger generation is always amusing. Didn't people say the same thing about the youths in the 60's?

I wonder if unequivocally claiming your generation is better than the one following it also qualifies are narcissism?

I have yet to ever hear an older generation say, "Man, these young whipper snappers are better than we ever were." It's always, "You call that dancing?! Back in my day, we had some REAL dancers!"

[Galian Beast]

Originally Posted by TheCount

Watching an older generation talk about the younger generation is always amusing. Didn't people say the same thing about the youths in the 60's?

I wonder if unequivocally claiming your generation is better than the one following it also qualifies are narcissism?

I have yet to ever hear an older generation say, "Man, these young whipper snappers are better than we ever were."

This is exactly right.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Originally Posted by TheCount

Watching an older generation talk about the younger generation is always amusing. Didn't people say the same thing about the youths in the 60's?

I wonder if unequivocally claiming your generation is better than the one following it also qualifies are narcissism?

I have yet to ever hear an older generation say, "Man, these young whipper snappers are better than we ever were." It's always, "You call that dancing?! Back in my day, we had some REAL dancers!"

true, what is the worst generation?

the one right after you.

[Galian Beast]

There are a few issues at stake here.

First I would say the superiority complex presented by older generations and a cynicism of younger generations. Many of you simply want to judge others.

I would challenge many of you to take a look at your confirmation bias and your preconceptions.

As for the subject at hand what many of you are describing is known as the Dunning–Kruger effect. It's not necessarily generational though.

[JBond]

Originally Posted by Galian Beast

There are a few issues at stake here.

First I would say the superiority complex presented by older generations and a cynicism of younger generations. Many of you simply want to judge others.

I would challenge many of you to take a look at your confirmation bias and your preconceptions.

As for the subject at hand what many of you are describing is known as the Dunning–Kruger effect. It's not necessarily generational though.

Excellent points. It is not necessarily generational. I agree. You and Count are also correct when you say we must take our own biases into account.

A link to a Dunning-Kruger paper on the topic.

http://www.overcominghateportal.org/...ing-kruger.pdf

[rkell87]

Originally Posted by Galian Beast

There are a few issues at stake here.

First I would say the superiority complex presented by older generations and a cynicism of younger generations. Many of you simply want to judge others.

I would challenge many of you to take a look at your confirmation bias and your preconceptions.

As for the subject at hand what many of you are describing is known as the Dunning–Kruger effect. It's not necessarily generational though.

lol this is funny coming from you

[DFWJC]

Originally Posted by WV Cowboy

Entitlement is a major problem.

Work ethic is lacking.

Manners are lacking, compassion, respect, humility are all lacking.

Boom

and boom, boom, boom, boom

sadly

Plenty of great kids out there, but on average all of that is lacking in many ways, some things worse than others.

[jnday]

Originally Posted by WV Cowboy

Entitlement is a major problem.

Work ethic is lacking.

Manners are lacking, compassion, respect, humility are all lacking.

This is caused by poor parenting. Every parent wants their kids to have a better life than they had. The problem is that parents try to give them that life instead of having the kids earn it. Another thing that causes this is parents thinking their kids are special. No, their kids are average kids. Quit telling them they are special and teach them tp be special. Raise them with manners and respect for others. Make them earn the special label. These kids think they are special and they expect the world to treat them that way without them earning anything. This is the "me" generation and it is not a good thing. It is a generation of selfish, lazy, disrespectfull know-it-alls that thinks the world owes them something.