CDZ We're Americans, we deserve it

[Mac1958]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Lucky to be born here is right. If everyone started their day thinking how fortunate they were to be born where they were......and understood that this factor has more to do with their current station in life than just about any other.....they might view the world with more empathy.

G.T. We touched on this subject last night.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Thanks for starting this, like I pointed out in the other thread, I would rather pay $200 bucks for a high quality American made pair of jeans in White oaks, NC then a low quality one for $60 bucks made in Thailand.

Some Americans don't get that they are part of the reason why jobs moved offshore, big company's gave you what you wanted....cheap stuff.

 

[Mac1958]

Thanks for starting this, like I pointed out in the other thread, I would rather pay $200 bucks for a high quality American made pair of jeans in White oaks, NC then a low quality one for $60 bucks made in Thailand.

Some Americans don't get that they are part of the reason why jobs moved offshore, big company's gave you what you wanted....cheap stuff.

That post of yours was what got me on this!

It's almost overwhelming to consider the big picture here. How does the more quality-oriented consumerism you talk about come about culturally, or can it? And what role could government play (uh oh, warning siren here) in promoting it, if any?

I'm loathe to put much faith in a bureaucratic answer to a cultural problem, but this fascinates me.

.

 

[LoneLaugher]

The unavailability of competitively priced American made products is not the result of narcissism on the part of the "selfie generation".

 

[G.T.]

I paid for my cars and house. So I do feel entitled to them. I worked for them.

I think the culture in America for the most part is fine and dandy. The pockets of inner city bullshit is all that needs to be fixed, really, and violent crimes are down since the mid 80's.

 

[Ravi]

I glanced through your articles and wondered what were the questions being asked of college students to draw the conclusion that they are more narcissistic than ever. Found this interesting article:

Much of the disagreement between Dr. Twenge and her critics comes down to interpretation. She believes that questions like “I am assertive” and “I like to take responsibility for making decisions” are indicators of narcissism; Dr. Arnett calls them “well within the range of normal personality,” and possibly even “desirable traits.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/science/seeing-narcissists-everywhere.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

^taking responsibility for one's decisions is narcissistic?

 

[PK1]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

---
Narcissism exists in every country. Perhaps USA Americans have more of it because of their cultural environment, as you suggested.

The cultural elements contributing to narcissism include:
1) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - no travel experience;
2) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - inadequate reading about events elsewhere in the world and not seeing foreign films/TV;
3) being bombarded with advertising and feeling the need to keep up with peers in buying material crap;
4) being encouraged to conform to certain expectations and not thinking independently.

USA Americans are more influenced by #2 and #3 above.

Developing a personality with little empathy is a function of the above cultural elements mixed with one's personal "social disposition".

 

[Ravi]

The unavailability of competitively priced American made products is not the result of narcissism on the part of the "selfie generation".

Very true. It is the result of greed of previous generations. What, me pay taxes and be a responsible American?

 

[Mac1958]

I glanced through your articles and wondered what were the questions being asked of college students to draw the conclusion that they are more narcissistic than ever. Found this interesting article:

Much of the disagreement between Dr. Twenge and her critics comes down to interpretation. She believes that questions like “I am assertive” and “I like to take responsibility for making decisions” are indicators of narcissism; Dr. Arnett calls them “well within the range of normal personality,” and possibly even “desirable traits.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/science/seeing-narcissists-everywhere.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

^taking responsibility for one's decisions is narcissistic?

Studies like that try to identify trends, and yeah, terminology can take away from raw facts and turn things subjective.

I look at this from the macro level - "entitlement" appears to cut in all directions, and I think it's reflected in popular culture and consumerism.

.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

It really began in the 1980's. (The ME generation)
This began the cultural shift from a view of belonging to a community, and serving that community when necessary - to the community is here to serve me.
People view the world from the inside, they believe their self happiness is the most important thing possible...including the welfare of their children. Placing their happiness above their own children.
We see it everyday.

 

[Mac1958]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

---
Narcissism exists in every country. Perhaps USA Americans have more of it because of their cultural environment, as you suggested.

The cultural elements contributing to narcissism include:
1) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - no travel experience;
2) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - inadequate reading about events elsewhere in the world and not seeing foreign films/TV;
3) being bombarded with advertising and feeling the need to keep up with peers in buying material crap;
4) being encouraged to conform to certain expectations and not thinking independently.

USA Americans are more influenced by #2 and #3 above.

Developing a personality with little empathy is a function of the above cultural elements mixed with one's personal "social disposition".

I agree that narcissism exists in every country, but it sure seems to me that it's a result of the spread of our own.

It's reasonable to wonder how many kids in Japan and India and Brazil would be taking selfies and buying shit on their own, without our influence.

.

 

[Ravi]

I glanced through your articles and wondered what were the questions being asked of college students to draw the conclusion that they are more narcissistic than ever. Found this interesting article:

Much of the disagreement between Dr. Twenge and her critics comes down to interpretation. She believes that questions like “I am assertive” and “I like to take responsibility for making decisions” are indicators of narcissism; Dr. Arnett calls them “well within the range of normal personality,” and possibly even “desirable traits.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/science/seeing-narcissists-everywhere.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

^taking responsibility for one's decisions is narcissistic?

Studies like that try to identify trends, and yeah, terminology can take away from raw facts and turn things subjective.

I look at this from the macro level - "entitlement" appears to cut in all directions, and I think it's reflected in popular culture and consumerism.

.

Same as it ever was.

 

[Mac1958]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

It really began in the 1980's. (The ME generation)
This began the cultural shift from a view of belonging to a community, and serving that community when necessary - to the community is here to serve me.
People view the world from the inside, they believe their self happiness is the most important thing possible...including the welfare of their children. Placing their happiness above their own children.
We see it everyday.

Agreed. And I think that at least some of this can be traced to (I really don't want to make this political, but speaking of the 80's...) a radicalization of much of Reagan's message. Not necessarily the message itself, but the "greed is good" explosion.

.

 

[PK1]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

---
Narcissism exists in every country. Perhaps USA Americans have more of it because of their cultural environment, as you suggested.

The cultural elements contributing to narcissism include:
1) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - no travel experience;
2) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - inadequate reading about events elsewhere in the world and not seeing foreign films/TV;
3) being bombarded with advertising and feeling the need to keep up with peers in buying material crap;
4) being encouraged to conform to certain expectations and not thinking independently.

USA Americans are more influenced by #2 and #3 above.

Developing a personality with little empathy is a function of the above cultural elements mixed with one's personal "social disposition".

I agree that narcissism exists in every country, but it sure seems to me that it's a result of the spread of our own.

It's reasonable to wonder how many kids in Japan and India and Brazil would be taking selfies and buying shit on their own, without our influence.

.

---
Everyone does selfies, it seems.
I have travelled to Japan, India, and. Brazil. All are influenced more by USA than vice versa, due to marketing and politics.

 

[G.T.]

I believe the baby boomer conservatives may be the most narcissistic americans in all of american history.

Millenials are more compassionate, caring and accepting.

Baby boomer conservatives are rigid, wallet driven me me me me me's and always looking under mattresses and in closets for who is taking from ME ME ME ME ME.

This is reflected on political messageboards, at Thanksgiving, on Fox news and on talk radio. Mark Levin is never not complaining, literally EVER.

 

[G.T.]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think that most (and I do mean most) of our problems are cultural at their root. And to go deeper into that, it seems to me that we are becoming more and more narcissistic and self-obsessed and entitled - the Selfie Generation (I coined that phrase, incidentally, and expect royalties).

And that doesn't just mean entitled to "government handouts". It holds true on the other side of the spectrum, too. Just because we were lucky enough to be born here, we act like we're entitled to bigger cars, bigger homes, bigger televisions, the newest and best phones, more stuff, on and on.

So I googled "narcissistic entitled American culture" and found some pretty interesting stuff, links below.

Do you feel entitled to more goodies? And here's what I'd really like to know: Isn't happiness and quality of life the goal, rather than the accumulation of stuff? And what kind of children are we raising as a result?

Narcissism Epidemic Why There Are So Many Narcissists Now - US News
America the Narcissist The Common Vision
Me me me America s Narcissism Epidemic - TODAY.com
Narcissism On the Rise in America Dr. Jim Taylor

.

---
Narcissism exists in every country. Perhaps USA Americans have more of it because of their cultural environment, as you suggested.

The cultural elements contributing to narcissism include:
1) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - no travel experience;
2) ignorance of events outside of one's lifestyle - inadequate reading about events elsewhere in the world and not seeing foreign films/TV;
3) being bombarded with advertising and feeling the need to keep up with peers in buying material crap;
4) being encouraged to conform to certain expectations and not thinking independently.

USA Americans are more influenced by #2 and #3 above.

Developing a personality with little empathy is a function of the above cultural elements mixed with one's personal "social disposition".

I agree that narcissism exists in every country, but it sure seems to me that it's a result of the spread of our own.

It's reasonable to wonder how many kids in Japan and India and Brazil would be taking selfies and buying shit on their own, without our influence.

.

---
Everyone does selfies, it seems.
I have travelled to Japan, India, and. Brazil. All are influenced more by USA than vice versa, due to marketing and politics.

What is the difference, in the END RESULT, between a selfie and a picture you had asked someone to take for you? Nothing.

Does your family have old photo albums? Is everyone who wishes or wished to be photographed a narcissist? Or are they capruting memories like we always have only now, the album is on a computer.

 

[G.T.]

Millennials are a great generation of people. Glad to know them and be a part. They make WAY more practical sense and break down the hedonist homophobic, racist, prudish politically correct boundaries that were inflicted on them/us as children by using: our BRAINS.

 

[BULLDOG]

Thanks for starting this, like I pointed out in the other thread, I would rather pay $200 bucks for a high quality American made pair of jeans in White oaks, NC then a low quality one for $60 bucks made in Thailand.

Some Americans don't get that they are part of the reason why jobs moved offshore, big company's gave you what you wanted....cheap stuff.

With income equality so bad, lots of people have trouble coming up with 16 bucks for a cheap pair of walmart jeans. You gonna blame them for jobs being moved off shore because they can't afford 200 dollar jeans?

 

[G.T.]

More narcissism, Baby Boomer Conservatives made it taboo to be an American and have an International discussion which is down to earth, human, and able to admit our own flaws. When we admit our own flaws, that's called being "human," and real, and encouraging self growth.

But their montra, America, FUCK YEA!!!!! and then denouncing any sign of admitting a flaw? THATS WHY GUYS LIKE PK1 think we have no knowledge of what goes on in the world and are narcissistic.