By Angela Almeida Opinions Editor
Aphrodite is said to have relished in it. Likewise, Marlon Brando is known to have epitomized it. Arguably enough, Napoleon is debased for having gone to war for it. So, suspense aside, what is it that these three scions of our past share? Why, none other than the deeply-rooted and up until recently, much politicized offense of the age: narcissism.
At first, one might be compelled to wonder how this is relevant to us today (and by that, a disquieting sigh of mine now emits). For narcissism is no longer a question of relevance but prevalence. According to recent psychoanalytic studies, it seems our generation is readily being dubbed “Generation Me.” Me, being the focal point of this debate, where these studies are deriving the idea that we are an individualistic generation, hanging on by the palms of our supposed entitled and miserable hands. Wouldn’t mommy be proud?
The root of narcissism springs from the myth about the beautiful yet greatly misguided Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. Much like Narcissus, psychologists have come to believe that the individuals born after 1985 are being plagued by pools of their own. Apparently, very pervasive ones, swallowing teenagers in that much eulogized perception that ‘you can be anything you want to be.’
Our sense of entitlement, according to Dr. Jean M. Twinge and Dr. W Keith Campbell, authors of The Narcissism Epidemic, stems from our constant exposure to the ‘raising royalty’ mentality. A car in the driveway on our 16th birthday has become a virtual must. A phone by age 10 has become almost as commonplace as pencils or paper. In essence, from a young age we are seeking the same quality of life as our elders, desires which could further perpetuate our title as the ‘Me-Me-Me’ age in the archives of our time.
Thus, how as a generation can we deal with this label? That is, if we care enough to correct it. See, for some, being remembered in the past suffering from ‘The Narcissism Epidemic’ is essentially just a moral swine flu. After all, fifty years from now is trivial in the face of what we can use and abuse in the present. Dream of getting into Princeton with mediocre grades? “Go for it!” Desire a six figure job right out of college? “Believe in yourself!” A tattoo of some obscure animal? “Express yourself!”
The opportunities appear to be endless.
And now the cookie crumbles. The realization I’ve come upon after researching this epidemic is that (a) it is true and (b) most of us are ignorant to its existence. (I can attest to that prior to this column). As to how to start correcting this perception I would normally say optimistically “It’s up to you”, although that would recount practically every word read before.
So I say this, it is up to us. Yes, the plural form of a word insinuating teamwork (a virtue supposedly said to have receded since the Baby Boomer times). Generation Me, sadly enough, applies to generation us. It is my only hope that someday this David vs Goliath mentality will fade and that we may live without the label we are so far living up to.
