Another sign of the impending death of the American empire? (待审核) 2015-2-10 17:05 | 个人分类: psychology http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/narcissism-america_b_861887.html Narcissism: On the Rise in America? Posted:05/28/2011 9:11 am EDT Updated:07/28/2011 5:12 am EDT Share 260 Tweet 15 Comment 308 Do you know the story of Narcissus? He was the very handsome fellow in Greek mythology who, because of his indifference and disdain toward others, was punished by the gods by falling in love with his own image. He was so enraptured by his beauty that he was unable to pull himself away from his own reflection, and he wasted away and died. Well, according to recent research (to be discussed below), Narcissus has spawned many offspring in our current generation, and narcissism is alive and well and living in America. Just so we are all on the same wavelength, narcissism is a personality characteristic associated with self-absorption, egocentrism, an overestimation of one's own importance and abilities, a sense of entitlement and a disregard for others. One study found that 30 percent of young people were classified as narcissistic according to a widely used psychological test. That number has doubled in the last 30 years. Another study reported a 40-percent decline among young people in empathy, a personality attribute inversely related to narcissism, since the 1980s. These findings aren't surprising to anyone who pays attention to the "it's all about me" culture in which we currently live. My questions are where this rise in narcissism is coming from and what impact it will have on our society in the future. One obvious place where young people are learning about narcissism is our omnipresent and unrelenting popular culture. A study by the celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Drew, in which 200 "celebrities" (I put the word in quotes because the threshold for being considered a celebrity these days has declined significantly) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, found that -- here's a shocker -- they were significantly more narcissistic than the general population. Interestingly, the celebrities who actually had a talent (for example, musicians) tended to be less narcissistic. Guess who were the most self-absorbed celebrities? Female reality-TV stars! It's not surprising that those celebrities who were famous for being famous were the most narcissistic; their narcissism drove them to become celebrities. Another fascinating study that was just published explored the changes in music lyrics over the past three decades. The researchers found a significant shift toward lyrics that reflect narcissism ("I" and "me" appear more often "we" and "us") and hostility (change from positive to angry words and emotions). And these findings aren't just due to the increased popularity and influence of hip-hop music (which is known for its aggrandizement of the artists and its venom), but rather are evident across musical genres. And you don't need to go far to collect your own data on narcissism. Do these names ring a bell: Charlie Sheen, Terrell Owens and Kanye West? It's not surprising to see a rise in narcissism in this generation given that young people are being bombarded by these messages 24/7 through every form of media. And here's the truly disturbing part: How can young people these days avoid being infected with this "disease" when, thanks to the "wired" world in which they live, the majority of messages they receive venerate and encourage narcissism? The self-esteem movement has likely contributed to this increase in self-adoration. Many parents these days do everything they can to make their children feel good about themselves. The result has been a decline in real self-esteem and an increase in self-love and unjustifiable personal "exceptionalism." Also, technology and social media have done their part to promote narcissism. All of the time spent absorbed in screens has reduced the amount of actual human ( i.e. , face-to-face) interaction that children have, thus depriving them of the experiences needed to develop essential social skills such as empathy, compassion and consideration for others. Certainly, the shift in societal values away from collectivism and toward individualism ("You're on your own"), away from civic responsibility and toward self-gratification, and away from meaningful contributions to society and toward personal success (as defined by wealth, power and status), have also contributed to the cultural messages of narcissism in which young people are presently immersed. It's one thing to see that there is a growing number of narcissists in America today. But the real concern is not the individual narcissists among us, but when our society embraces and accepts narcissism as the norm. And that time may have arrived. That's when we have to start asking the next question, which is far scarier: What effect will this increasingly normalized culture of narcissism have on our society? You might argue that narcissism has existed for as long as Homo sapiens has populated planet Earth, and we've managed to survive. In fact, some researchers have argued that the recent rise in narcissism is due more to this generation's willingness to express what they really believe rather than an actual increase in narcissism. But there seems to be a qualitative, rather just a quantitative, shift in so many aspects of our culture that I just don't buy that explanation. The answer that came most readily to my mind, and an apocryphal one at that, is a gradual yet inexorable tear in the fabric of our society. Think of all the qualities that enable us to form a functioning and vital nation -- respect, compassion, tolerance, selflessness -- and you will see that they don't exist in the narcissistic personality (or culture). Gosh, I just had a really terrifying thought. The indifference, egotism, disrespect and lack of consideration that are central to narcissism are also reflective of the increasingly polarized and vitriolic tone of our current body politic, recent unethical corporate behavior, the rise in cheating among students in school and the gamut of bad behavior among professional athletes. As Pogo noted so famously, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." This is definitely not a rosy picture and definitely not one to encourage an optimistic view of the future. Should we see this trend as just another sign of the impending death of the American empire? The cynic in me (and those who follow my writing know that it fills a big portion of my brain) would offer an emphatic "yes!" Yet the optimist in me (small, but stubborn) holds out some hope. I don't mean to demonize and indict this entire generation. In fact, there are a lot of amazing young people out there. I speak at schools around the U.S. and I meet kids (I know I'm getting old when I call them that!) who are motivated, engaged, respectful and compassionate. Many young people are bucking the trend and are resisting the lure of the "dark side." And they are our best hope for beating back the onslaught of narcissism and keeping the best of humanity alive and well and living in America. Follow Dr. Jim Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrJimTaylor MORE: Narcissism America Narcissism Narcissism in America Narcissistic Generation Narcissistic Personality Disorder Mental Health Narcissistic Culture American Narcissism Narcissism Youth This Blogger's Books and Other Items from...
Jerusalem (CNN) -- A senior Palestinian Authority official died Wednesday after a confrontation with Israeli troops, prompting President Mahmoud Abbas to halt security coordination with Israel, according to Palestinian officials. Ziyad Abu Ein died after clashes with Israeli soldiers midday Wednesday in the Palestinian village of Turmusaya, which is northeast of the West Bank city of Ramallah, longtime chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said in a statement. Abu Ein -- a minister in Abbas' Fatah party and head of the Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements -- was there participating in nonviolent demonstrations to mark international Human Rights Day, according to Erakat's statement. There were varying reports of exactly how Abu Ein died, including what role -- if any -- Israeli authorities played in it. Pictures from various news agencies depict an Israeli soldier with his hands to Abu Ein's neck, followed by another showing him on the ground. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA, meanwhile, reported that the Palestinian official lost consciousness after he inhaled tear gas and an Israeli soldier hit him in the chest. Israelis attacked in Tel Aviv, West Bank IDF kills Palestinian in West Bank clash "The Israeli soldiers called Abu Ein by name and seemed to be focused on him," witness Kamal Abu Safaka told CNN. "There was a lot of pushing, kicking and punching by the soldiers. ... When Abu Ein tried to intercede, they hit him on the chest with a rifle butt and grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back and then threw a large amount of tear gas and stun grenades." Dr. Ahmed Bitawi, the director of the Ramallah hospital that inspected Abu Ein's body, said he died from asphyxiation after choking on vomit brought on by tear gas inhalation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a message -- via his special envoy Yitzhak Molcho -- to Palestinian Authority officials telling them that Israel will investigate the death, according to a government statement. "The Prime Minister, who has been holding security consultations throughout the day, pointed to the need to calm the situation and act responsibly," the statement said. The Israeli military said in a statement that the incident happened after its "forces halted the progress of (about 200) rioters into the civilian community of Abed-Ad using riot dispersal means." "The IDF is reviewing the circumstances of the participation of Ziyad Abu Ein and his later death," the Israeli military said, noting an Israeli pathologist will join a group of pathologists from Jordan for an examination. "... Additionally, a proposal has been made to the Palestinians to establish a joint investigation team to review the incident." Jordanian Minister of Information Mohammed Al-Momani said that two forensic doctors were sent to the West Bank "to help in determining the cause of (Abu Ein's) death" in response "to a Palestinian request." Declaring three days of mourning, Abbas slammed Abu Ein's death as an "intolerable barbaric act," according to WAFA. "What happened is a crime by all means, we cannot sit idle and silent (after) this crime," he said later on Palestinian television. "For that, this leadership is meeting now to decide what it wants, and I say honestly all options are open for discussion and for implementation. ... We don't have any other solutions." Hanan Ashrawi, an executive member of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said Abbas also froze security coordination with Israel. Jibril Rajoub, a member of Fatah's central committee, confirmed this development. A meeting of PLO representatives Wednesday night about the day's development's was "heated," Ashrawi said. One of the options discussed at the session was taking the Palestinian case to the U.N. Security Council. There will be another meeting Friday. Ashrawi is among the Palestinians outraged by the minister's death, demanding "an international and impartial investigation." "This is a deliberate and willful act of murder and criminality," she said. CNN's Greg Botelho and Samira Said contributed to this report.
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