From Fox News:
A new analysis of the American Freshman Survey, which has accumulated data for the past 47 years from 9 million young adults, reveals that college students are more likely than ever to call themselves gifted and driven to succeed, even though their test scores and time spent studying are decreasing.
Psychologist Jean Twenge, the lead author of the analysis, is also the author of a study showing that the tendency toward narcissism in students is up 30 percent in the last thirty-odd years.
This data is not unexpected. I have been writing a great deal over the past few years about the toxic psychological impact of media and technology on children, adolescents and young adults, particularly as it regards turning them into faux celebrities—the equivalent of lead actors in their own fictionalized life stories.
On Facebook, young people can fool themselves into thinking they have hundreds or thousands of “friends.” They can delete unflattering comments. They can block anyone who disagrees with them or pokes holes in their inflated self-esteem. They can choose to show the world only flattering, sexy or funny photographs of themselves (dozens of albums full, by the way), “speak” in pithy short posts and publicly connect to movie stars and professional athletes and musicians they “like.”
Using Twitter, young people can pretend they are worth “following,” as though they have real-life fans, when all that is really happening is the mutual fanning of false love and false fame.
Using computer games, our sons and daughters can pretend they are Olympians, Formula 1 drivers, rock stars or sharpshooters. And while they can turn off their Wii and Xbox machines and remember they are really in dens and playrooms on side streets and in triple deckers around America, that is after their hearts have raced and heads have swelled with false pride for “being” something they are not.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/08/are-raising-generation-deluded-narcissists/#ixzz2HSmm7RA0
You also see it on reality TV shows and even during sporting events. Even in high school sporting events, you see the players jumping up and down and fist pumping for making a basket that a 5 year old could make.
As an old fart, I've never understood the fascination with Facebook and especially, Twitter. Facebook, I understand, can be used for communication, but Twitter- who really care what a person thinks in 140 characters. Who cares if you are going to the store or restroom or if you had a good time dining out. I suppose you can the same thing about blogs, but blogs are more in depth and generally talk more about issues than what you had for dinner, what was in your pooh or who is good looking or not.
So, I do believe that narcissism is on the rise and with President Obama being one of the biggest narcissist in the country (Donald Trump probably is the first and the Kardashians being second, followed by Obama)
So, in honor of President Obama, we should name the new era of narcissists: Obamaissists and the disease is Obamaissism.
Who says I am always mean to Obama? I'm giving him credit and naming some mental illnesses for the guy.
Now, maybe we can name something after Harry Reid?
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I didn't used to "get" Twitter either. I still don't use it daily. But you'd have had a good time using it during the debates and other political events. I follow many comedians, political writers and commentators, bloggers, actors, musicians. . .whomever. And during one of those events, there is running, real-time commentary that is a HOOT to follow, and provides varying perspectives. It also dresses up a dull event. So, that's when I use it, during big, national "things." You could follow the feed during the Oscars I suppose, or even Pawnstars if you put in that hashtag. You might be surprised.
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