Has the Narcissistic Generation Finally Arrived?

For a long time, I have been hearing from some therapists that the primary psychological problem of the next generation will be narcissism.  The logic behind this is that many youth today were raised to look after their own needs first and the needs and rights of others secondarily, if at all.   However, I have never been convinced.  First, I am a hopeful person, and I thought that this idea was overly pessimistic.  Secondly, I knew that such a statement would have to be an overgeneralization.  I don't trust overgeneralizations.  There are always differences between members of a generation.  Not everyone in the "Greatest Generation," written about by Tom Brokaw, was really great, or even good.

When things change, they change slowly, until something is strong enough that it hits you in the face.  Well, maybe something has happened to make the trend to narcissism real to me.

I had the opportunity the other night to attend a party for a new startup company.  It was attended by a group of mostly young, mostly good looking, and mostly very intelligent people.

Ourderves and drinks were provided.  It was a fun party.  After people had a chance to eat and talk for awhile, the business executives sponsoring it wanted an opportunity to say a few words.  But surprisingly, when they started talking, a significant minority, maybe a third or a fourth of the people there, just would not stop talking.  This continued throughout the speeches--about twenty minutes.  The acoustics of the building made everything worse.  It was absolutely maddening for the people trying to listen.  Even speaking with a microphone, the hosts could not be heard very well.  The older ones of us present, and some of the younger ones, couldn't quite believe the lack of manners being shown.

Why did the guests keep talking?  I don't know.  But their thinking must have gone something like this:  "These speeches are only a formality.  They don't really expect me to listen.  And I am just one person, so it won't matter if I talk.  Besides, what I have to say to this person in front of me right now is really soooo important."

Well, I'll never know if that was what was going through the minds of the talkers.  But it seemed to me at that moment that the narcissistic generation had arrived after all.