Readers Write: Are Young People Narcissists?

AlterNet. Posted March 14, 2007.

Today's under-30s crowd has earned itself a nickname: Generation Me. Compared with older generations, young people today are increasingly displaying a lack of empathy, aggressive behavior and an inability to form relationships. At least that's the conclusion of a report from San Diego State University called "Egos Inflating Over Time." The study, conducted over a period of 25 years and based on interviews with more than 16,000 students, states that 30 percent more college students show "elevated narcissism" now than in 1982.

AlterNet published the findings recently in an article reprinted from the Christian Science Monitor, and it got our readers talking and asking questions: Are young people narcissists? If so, is this unusual or to a greater degree than any other generation? What are the underlying causes of this supposed narcissism? Could it be a normal stage in psychological development or rooted in something else like culture or lifestyle?

Here are some excerpts of what they had to say:

"Although there are some wonderful "under-thirties" out there -- and I am pleased to know and work with some, there is a pervasive level of self-absorption present in this age group," writes bttl. "Teaching this generation at a college has not been always enjoyable. While I have had students who were hardworking, caring and committed, the majority are otherwise. The prevailing trend has been one of a sense of entitlement; to good grades (A's of course), minimal work required and constant pats on the back. Many of my students believe they possess superior intellect; after all, they've been told how wonderful they are since day one."

A writer named Joycelyn strongly disagreed. "I am almost 65 years old and have worked with kids most of my life. ... My experience and observation is this is a wonderful generation. They are thoughtful, kind, empathetic, and funny. ... [I]n my rather long career, I have never seen a less narcissistic generation than the current one. I have never seen a generation that was more attached to parents and respectful of values."

This conclusion shocked several readers, including bloggeddowninMKE, who is a 47-year-old working at a university: "Wow, no offense, but I have to wonder where you live, or perhaps you are getting the cream of the crop kids who are interested in service work. ... [Generation Y] seems extremely self-absorbed to me and lacking in values compared to friends of mine I grew up with who are closer to my age. Sure, there are some great kids out there, but the overall picture (kids wearing I-pod headphones continually and yacking on their cell phones in your face as you try to enjoy a cup of coffee) is not all that great from where I stand."

Although some readers said narcissism is simply a normal part of being a teen and is not unique to the Millennial Generation, most readers -- including those in the younger, Generation Y group, -- agreed with the study's conclusion that, yes, young adults have overdosed on self-infatuation.

What they couldn't agree on is why.

Some readers said that narcissism is borne out of necessity, not preference:

"Young people live in a world where everything costs and nothing is free. Where you need to grab or it is gone," Bobsays wrote. "Where older people sit on over-inflated houses-as-pensions because they are too chicken shit to come to terms with the people who stole their pension funds in the first place."

"Have you applied to college recently?" timebomb734 said. "[A]n effort to admit 'people,' not transcripts, has forced prospected students to be able to sell themselves as a package. It's been my experience as a 21-year-old that from an early point in education (usually middle school) children are forced to take inventory of themselves in order to be better able to define their personality in 100-word essays. This article was OK, but most definitely overlooks the noble intentions behind the need to narcissitize."

Timebomb734 also argued that being dubbed narcissistic is the result of not having time to do the same type of activist work that the boomer generation became known for: "By the time I'm done working my 40 hours a week between two jobs, attending school, maintaining social contacts, and engaging in the sparse-but-always-needed chillout time, there are not hours left for engaging in activism. ... Don't be so quick to compare us to the college students of the 60s whose parents (for the most part) could afford to pay for their school. Of course they protested! They had that luxury known as free time that has become foreign to today's college student."

See more stories tagged with: millenials, generation y, narcissism

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