I found a really interesting snippet in the latest issue of The Atlantic about some of the social implications of the Myspace generation. Some psychologists have used a"Narcissistic Personality Inventory" test to measure how 16,475 college kids (starting in 1982 and continuing through 2006) view themselves. The results? "Overall, almost two-thirds of the most recent sample display a higher level of narcissism than the 1982 average." They further noted that students born after the invention/spread of the internet (i.e. the demographic most likely to use sites like Myspace and YouTube) are especially prone to narcissism.
Myspace aside, increasing narcissism is a source of concern because independent studies have showed that "narcissists have trouble forming meaningful relationships, tend to be materialistic, and are prone to higher levels of infidelity, substance abuse, and violence." I find it ironic that the same system that makes it amazingly easy to connect with people may be a reason that young people are becoming more self-involved.
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2 comments:
Jordan, I think the massive connections the internet makes possible will counter balance this, however. If the world is watching, you have to be on better behavior.
Ahh, yes, good point. Maybe it's better to understand this as a situation in which it is now easier than ever to be a big fish, but the pond has also become exponentially large (even if some of the fish have yet to realize it). If the world is watching, it can't be with much interest, nevertheless, I will behave.
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