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.

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...d-narcissists/?intcmp=obnetwork#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]

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.

 

[WV Cowboy]

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? :laugh2:

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]

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.

 

[Galian Beast]

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? :laugh2:

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.

 

[Future]

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.

 

[JBond]

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/uploads/5/4/1/5/5415260/2009_dunning-kruger.pdf

 

[vta]

This is exactly right.

Not really. There's a reason our country is tanking in more ways than one. This thinking that everything follows a repeatable course is illogical. Many will pipe up loudly about how far we've come when it comes to certain advances, yet when someone states the growing negative trends, people like to claim it's really just a product of 24 hour news cycles. We weren't exaclty communicating with smoke signals before the 80's - 90's.

It also suggests that consequences don't exist. That certain paths of the last generation or earlier years of our own have no ramifications.

Advertising is very effective and very powerful and to think that a generation brought up on hit and run advertising and microwavable convenience won't be radically effected is not realistic. Expectations are effected due to these certain 'advancements', and so are the reactions to adversity.

As to the effect of generations and their laments, it's based on truth. The materials you live on and in are inferior plastics that have a calculated shelf life designed to make you a repeat and frequent customer. Your appliances, your cars, your clothes all are made with the ricochet effect in mind.

Its not opinion that education scores and health have regressed in the United States. Life expectancy might be at it's highest, but is quality of life? Medicince can allow a cancer patient to hang on much longer with denigrating and painful treatments, but frankly, I'd rather drop dead. These are all examples that challenge the idea that everything's the same as it ever was and that generations don't decline. Civilizations exist on arcs, not plains. Prior civilizations died not because they remained consistently predictable, but because the changes were so subtle and long manifesting that they were not generally and popularly recognized.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

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.

I've never said "This" before on a message board, but... This ^

 

[Doomsday101]

A generation of sissy have been created. Don't keep score in sporting events, everyone gets an award and we are all special.

Biggest benefit a person can learn from is failure it is what drives you to work harder and become better be it in sports, work or life.

 

[theogt]

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.

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.

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.

Entitlement is a major problem.

Work ethic is lacking.

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

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

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.

Not really. There's a reason our country is tanking in more ways than one. This thinking that everything follows a repeatable course is illogical. Many will pipe up loudly about how far we've come when it comes to certain advances, yet when someone states the growing negative trends, people like to claim it's really just a product of 24 hour news cycles. We weren't exaclty communicating with smoke signals before the 80's - 90's.

It also suggests that consequences don't exist. That certain paths of the last generation or earlier years of our own have no ramifications.

Advertising is very effective and very powerful and to think that a generation brought up on hit and run advertising and microwavable convenience won't be radically effected is not realistic. Expectations are effected due to these certain 'advancements', and so are the reactions to adversity.

As to the effect of generations and their laments, it's based on truth. The materials you live on and in are inferior plastics that have a calculated shelf life designed to make you a repeat and frequent customer. Your appliances, your cars, your clothes all are made with the ricochet effect in mind.

Its not opinion that education scores and health have regressed in the United States. Life expectancy might be at it's highest, but is quality of life? Medicince can allow a cancer patient to hang on much longer with denigrating and painful treatments, but frankly, I'd rather drop dead. These are all examples that challenge the idea that everything's the same as it ever was and that generations don't decline. Civilizations exist on arcs, not plains. Prior civilizations died not because they remained consistently predictable, but because the changes were so subtle and long manifesting that they were not generally and popularly recognized.

I've never said "This" before on a message board, but... This ^

Alllllllllllllllllllllllllll of this.

 

[vta]

A generation of sissy have been created. Don't keep score in sporting events, everyone gets an award and we are all special.

Biggest benefit a person can learn from is failure it is what drives you to work harder and become better be it in sports, work or life.

:laugh2: I didn't even notice your sig until after I wrote this out...

Speaking of sports, I think when a person gets paid multiplied millions of dollars to run with a ball, then has the gall to liken it to modern day slavery, you can pretty much bet the bank that there's been a monumental generational shift.

 

[Doomsday101]

:laugh2: I didn't even notice your sig until after I wrote this out...

Speaking of sports, I think when a person gets paid multiplied millions of dollars to run with a ball, then has the gall to liken it to modern day slavery, you can pretty much bet the bank that there's been a monumental generational shift.

I think there is a sense of entitlement by so many people now days, I grew up where things were not handed out you had to earn them and you were allowed to fail but it was through the failure that you learned to work harder so that you could achieve the goal.

You hang the carrot in front as a goal that has to be achieved not just hand them the carrot.

 

[jgboys1]

I knew things were stating to go bad, when people wanted to outlaw dodge ball. Don't want to hurt little Johnny or Marry's feelings by getting knocked out of the game and also everybody gets a trophy in little league, not just the best teams. We are making a generation of wussies that can't handle the word NO.

 

[Galian Beast]

Not really. There's a reason our country is tanking in more ways than one. This thinking that everything follows a repeatable course is illogical. Many will pipe up loudly about how far we've come when it comes to certain advances, yet when someone states the growing negative trends, people like to claim it's really just a product of 24 hour news cycles. We weren't exaclty communicating with smoke signals before the 80's - 90's.

It also suggests that consequences don't exist. That certain paths of the last generation or earlier years of our own have no ramifications.

Advertising is very effective and very powerful and to think that a generation brought up on hit and run advertising and microwavable convenience won't be radically effected is not realistic. Expectations are effected due to these certain 'advancements', and so are the reactions to adversity.

As to the effect of generations and their laments, it's based on truth. The materials you live on and in are inferior plastics that have a calculated shelf life designed to make you a repeat and frequent customer. Your appliances, your cars, your clothes all are made with the ricochet effect in mind.

Its not opinion that education scores and health have regressed in the United States. Life expectancy might be at it's highest, but is quality of life? Medicince can allow a cancer patient to hang on much longer with denigrating and painful treatments, but frankly, I'd rather drop dead. These are all examples that challenge the idea that everything's the same as it ever was and that generations don't decline. Civilizations exist on arcs, not plains. Prior civilizations died not because they remained consistently predictable, but because the changes were so subtle and long manifesting that they were not generally and popularly recognized.

The difference is that you've come to a conclusion that civilization is on a downward path, and you presume why it is.

This is illogical.

Imagine the following scenario:

The water level in room B is lower than the water is Room A.

Without facts and data you've decided that there is less water in room B, and that the inhabitants of Room B have been removing the water, since it's lower.

In reality Room B is a larger room than Room A, and while the level appears lower the quantity of water might actually be greater.

Your preconceptions about the inhabitants of Room B were baseless, and your conclusions about the water levels were merely perceptions and not reality.

 

[vta]

The difference is that you've come to a conclusion that civilization is on a downward path, and you presume why it is.

This is illogical.

Imagine the following scenario:

The water level in room B is lower than the water is Room A.

Without facts and data you've decided that there is less water in room B, and that the inhabitants of Room B have been removing the water, since it's lower.

In reality Room B is a larger room than Room A, and while the level appears lower the quantity of water might actually be greater.

Your preconceptions about the inhabitants of Room B were baseless, and your conclusions about the water levels were merely perceptions and not reality.

There's no need for presumption, the evidence is plainly stated in every day life.
What exactly do think I'm assuming?

Am I wrong about our education performance? Global wealth and economy? The quality of services and products? Look up who leads the world in obesity. These things are everyday news, coupled with the record job loss numbers, is that a product of being on the ascending side of the arc?

I have to tread a line here, because of the whole political aspect this edges on, but there's a reason a great number of college students involved themselves with that Occupy business. On both sides of that coin stand the two faces of generational decline.

Comfort and complacency don't breed ambition and drive and the richest nation in the world isn't immune to the perils of prosperity that have taken all former empires.

 

[FiveRings]

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.

I disagree, those who show the confidence and drive at work and interviews, genuinely have it I believe. I think the narcissism is coming fom the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality, and actually discussed it the other day with a teacher who coached baseball and explained the difficulty of cutting kids when they've been on little league all star teams, meanwhile every kid makes the team.