Hey, Under-30s Crowd, Have You Overdosed on Narcissism?

[RedEarth]

Hey, Under-30s Crowd, Have You Overdosed on Narcissism?

By Clayton Collins, Christian Science Monitor
Posted on March 6, 2007, Printed on March 7, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/story/48834/

A little smug self-absorption might be a time-honored trait of at least some subsets of the under-30 crowd.

But over the past few decades the prevailing disposition among college students -- today labeled Generation Y or Millennials -- has slid into full-blown narcissism, according to a study released this week.

The "all about me" shift means much more than lots of traffic at self-revelatory Web sites such as YouTube and Facebook. It points, says the study's author, to a generation's lack of empathy, its inability to form relationships -- and worse.

"Research shows are aggressive when they have been insulted or threatened," says Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and lead author of the report, called "Egos Inflating Over Time." "They tend to have problems with impulse control, so that means they're more likely to, for example, be pathological gamblers commit white-collar crimes."



http://www.alternet.org/story/48834/

[DemKR]

1. According to Tammy Bruce, I am a narcissist

because I support gays in the military. She told me so on c-span :-P

[Taverner]

7. Whaaa?

How did her logic get her there?

[Prophet 451]

2. I overdosed on cynicism

But then I'm not an under-30, I actually AM 30.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I think narcissism goes with the age...

I'm 60 now, but I remember when I was in my early 20s, some in my parents' generation thought we were the most selfish, self-absorbed, out-of-control kids they'd ever seen.

[crikkett]

4. and life sure was fun wasn't it?

:)

[Blue_In_AK]

11. You bet. :-)

I wouldn't give up those selfish, self-absorbed, out-of-control days for anything. :hippie:

[Double T]

5. This 'Narcissism' has been true for decades and extends above.......

the under 30s crowd; the psychopathy of 'modern' society is a very serious problem that continues to become worse with each generation.

[saltpoint]

6. How old is Donald Trump?

Tom Delay?

Candy Crowley?

[unpossibles]

8. yeah - those kids are not nearly as awesome and amazing as we are.... :) n/t

[jaksavage]

9. Capitolism

Exploits our egos and perceptions or "normal" in order to sell us stuff
And since we have nothing to do but shop, and eat fast food
We are an easy sell
The hard part is convincing us that debt is our friend
but they succeeded at that too
they even masked 40 years worth of environmental degradation
Cause money trumps everything

This is the reason we have a society and a government
to protect us all from predation
What happened?

[knight_of_the_star]

10. Talk about projection

Honestly, this is like folks who talk about how things were always better when they were kids, talk about a heavy dose of nostalgia plus projection.

[stormymonday]

12. Recent research shows 90% of all age groups

have overdosed on reading the endless studies claiming unique insight into every generation born since the 1920s. Many now find it impossible to stifle the impulse to yawn when confronted by yet another article on this subject.

[TheWraith]

13. And they need to get off the lawn! Damn kids!

Sheesh. You'd think that someone would have figured out by now that this "most X ever" thing happens with every single generation...

[FiveGoodMen]

14. 'Most X Ever' -- you got that right.

"Kids today face pressures that no other generation has faced!"

"This is not your father's marijuana!"

Blah, blah, blah.

If it really got that much worse every generation, would we even still be here?

Also, regarding narcissism: How old is that 'Greatest Generation' again?

[yurbud]

15. If they are narcissists, they are following boomer parents example who after a brief fit

of idealism in the 60s, seem intent on making life harder for their kids and future generations.

I teach college to the under-30 crowd, and unlike when I was in college, nearly all of them have to work full time because Congress rewrote the rules on who qualifies for college financial aid.

These stories come up every once in a while, but usually only from righties looking for an excuse to screw these kids more.

[FiveGoodMen]

16. "When I was your age I tunneled through six feet of snow -- barefoot -- to get to school

It was a five mile trip, uphill both ways and I never complained! You kids these days!"

For all of my 47 years, parents have always seemed to resent it if their kids suffered any less than they did.

[yurbud]

17. you're a little older than me, so your parents weren't boomers. The kids who heard that made sure

their kids have something to complain about.

[Vidar]

18. We boomers have dropped enough balls to preclude such stone-throwing.