Book Review: The Narcissism Epidemic
Why do young people post ever-increasingly risqué pictures
of themselves on social networking sites? Why have New York law firms had to
hire ‘Praise Consultants’? (Yes, really). Why are young people behaving as if
success is their entitlement? Why do people expect an intellectual sugar-rush
from education, rather than the solid meal it takes a long time to digest?
If you have ever wanted to know the answers to any of these
questions – and even if you haven’t – The
Narcissism Epidemic is the book for you. Written by two American Professors
of Psychology, it is a forensic examination of the way in which American
culture has taken a wrong turn, giving rise to entitlement, a chronic lack of
fulfilment, breakdown in social capital and in communities, and relationship
breakdown rates which are depressing.
However, the book, as a whole, is not depressing. Although the
authors do not (despite trying) conclude that a natural cycle will restore a
sense of balance, they do come up with some suggestions for limiting the spread
of the epidemic. But note that before they do this, they do demonstrate that
the epidemic really is turning into a pandemic, and they chart the rise of
narcissism even in societies with best religious or cultural defences against
it.
The book does give some helpful pointers in the closing
chapters. Those in educational leadership should read it. Avoid any sense that children
are special or unique specimens – it is our similarities which psychologically
reduce conflict. Avoid self admiration at all costs – humility, and belonging
to groups, is much healthier. Avoid celebrity culture – especially the sort of
vacuous fame-for-fame’s-sake that typifies reality TV. Avoid using the internet
for self-promotion, for example by blogging for attention (I’ll think about
that one!). And avoid debt – which lends itself to a worldview in which we all
deserve the luxuries we can’t afford (‘...yet...’ we tell ourselves), on a
personal level, and on a national level.
Instead, give, save, push oneself, regard others as being equally
capable, expect success only as the result of hard work. If that sounds old-fashioned, it might just
be because you heard it from your parents – the so-called Silent Generation –
the biggest effect on whom was the Great Depression, with the consequent
expectation that life would be hard. This, of course, is the very opposite of
entitlement. We could be undergoing just the economic process most likely to
help.
Oh, and finally – if you are reading this because you are a
concerned parent: don’t make your child the centre of the family; don’t obsess about
parenting; don’t spend your free time trying to give your child the very, very,
very best start in life. Because all this, of course, makes children think they
are entitled to that kind of attention, and advantage, for the rest of their
lives. And that is narcissism...
The Narcissism
Epidemic, by Twenge and Campbell, published by SimonandSchuster.com $15.99.
Worth every cent.
On AmazonUK, it’s £9.50: http://is.gd/dq4pPw
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