They're Singing My Song - Part II

Earlier today I wrote Part I of this post. You might need to scroll down and read that post as background for this one.

The other reading selection I referred to in that post was an Associated Press article by David Crary, titled Study: College Kids Increasingly Selfish. Mr. Crary refers to a comprehensive study by five psychologists who studied 16,475 college students between 1982 and 2006 at San Diego State University.

Their findings indicate that the scores on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory have risen steadily since the test was introduced in 1982. One of the authors commented that "narcissism can have negative consequence for society, including the breakddown of close relationshjips with others."

Typically narcissists are:

-- likely to have relationships that are short-lived

---at risk for infidelity

---lacking in emotional warmth

---engage in game-playing, dishonesty, over-controlling, and violent behaviors

Narcissists also tend to:

---lack empathy for others

---react aggressively to criticism

---favor self-promotion over helping others

This is a perfect description of many of the "entitled" children that our society has produced since we began the "self-esteem" movement in the 70s. Sadly these students have grown up to be , according to Professor Jean Twenge, "more confident, assertive, entitled -- and more miserable" than students of previous generations.

When the family became "child-centered" as opposed to "family-centered", the seed was planted for narcissistic personalities to grow. When these children went to school and were praised and rewarded regardless of effort or accomplishment, the seed was watered. The sun shone brightly on the growing plants when the students were consistently and ardently protected from the slightest embarrassment, discomfort or effort. The kudzu has taken over the fields. We have grown a generation of narcissists!