We are raising a generation of deluded narcissists

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

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 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.”

On MTV and other networks, young people can see lives just like theirs portrayed on reality TV shows fueled by such incredible self-involvement and self-love that any of the “real-life” characters should really be in psychotherapy to have any chance at anything like a normal life.
These are the psychological drugs of the 21st Century and they are getting our sons and daughters very sick, indeed.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/...#ixzz2HQvsWWGa

I am currently teaching a series along these lines in my Sunday School class.

On a personal level...

We have children who dream that they have a life. They make statements such as "You're ruining my life" when in reality, darling, you don't have a life.

You go places in the car I bought using the gas I bought and after church you decide you'll go out and eat with no thought to the fact that you have no money. You ignore me and are rude to others texting and talking on the phone I bought which only has minutes because of the cell phone plan I pay for.

In school and at home kids come to the conclusion that they have a life when what they have is some imaginary semblance of a life totally funded by others and those others are generally the one most often blamed for ruining "their lives".

And then when they finally, if ever, take their privileged little behinds out of my house they are somehow aghast at how "unfair" life is. Sweetie... Life never was fair... I simply made the error of wanting to provide you nice things. For that... I apologize.

Privilege promotes dependency and unrealistic expectations.
Struggle creates balance and a spirit of thanks.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I am currently teaching a series along these lines in my Sunday School class.

On a personal level...

We have children who dream that they have a life. They make statements such as "You're ruining my life" when in reality, darling, you don't have a life.

You go places in the car I bought using the gas I bought and after church you decide you'll go out and eat with no thought to the fact that you have no money. You ignore me and are rude to others texting and talking on the phone I bought which only has minutes because of the cell phone plan I pay for.

In school and at home kids come to the conclusion that they have a life when what they have is some imaginary semblance of a life totally funded by others and those others are generally the one most often blamed for ruining "their lives".

And then when they finally, if ever, take their privileged little behinds out of my house they are somehow aghast at how "unfair" life is. Sweetie... Life never was fair... I simply made the error of wanting to provide you nice things. For that... I apologize.

Privilege promotes dependency and unrealistic expectations.
Struggle creates balance and a spirit of thanks.

Thank you for posting this. I needed to read this for some consolation for a current event happening in my life.

[Ferd]

The sad reality is that every civilization that has risen to domanance has reached a point of maturity. At that point the society turns inward and "enjoys" the fruit of its labor. When that happens, that society begins to lose the very things that brought it to its high place.

Narcisim is in many ways a product of pride. We are warned by history and by the wisdom of scripture that such behavior leads to distruction.

I dont know if I will be alive to see the fall of America, but I fully expect my children or grand children will be here to see it.

I dont know of the crash of our civilization will mark the return of Jesus.... others thought that of thiers.... but we will pay the piper as a nation. We will face a day of wrath. I dont necessarily mean wrath in the sense of the Judgement of God but certainly in the sense that when this thing comes crashing down there will be pain and disillusionment.

We have a thousand examples that have gone before us and we will NOT learn the lessons of history.

[Ferd]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I am currently teaching a series along these lines in my Sunday School class.

On a personal level...

We have children who dream that they have a life. They make statements such as "You're ruining my life" when in reality, darling, you don't have a life.

You go places in the car I bought using the gas I bought and after church you decide you'll go out and eat with no thought to the fact that you have no money. You ignore me and are rude to others texting and talking on the phone I bought which only has minutes because of the cell phone plan I pay for.

In school and at home kids come to the conclusion that they have a life when what they have is some imaginary semblance of a life totally funded by others and those others are generally the one most often blamed for ruining "their lives".

And then when they finally, if ever, take their privileged little behinds out of my house they are somehow aghast at how "unfair" life is. Sweetie... Life never was fair... I simply made the error of wanting to provide you nice things. For that... I apologize.

Privilege promotes dependency and unrealistic expectations.
Struggle creates balance and a spirit of thanks.

Well said D! I pray I have the parental fortitude to teach my kids as you state here.

When my son tells me something isnt fair, I tell him "if life was a fair you would be a bearded lady"

To which he responds with dirision.... lol... I think he is starting to get it.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I am currently teaching a series along these lines in my Sunday School class.

On a personal level...

We have children who dream that they have a life. They make statements such as "You're ruining my life" when in reality, darling, you don't have a life.

You go places in the car I bought using the gas I bought and after church you decide you'll go out and eat with no thought to the fact that you have no money. You ignore me and are rude to others texting and talking on the phone I bought which only has minutes because of the cell phone plan I pay for.

In school and at home kids come to the conclusion that they have a life when what they have is some imaginary semblance of a life totally funded by others and those others are generally the one most often blamed for ruining "their lives".

And then when they finally, if ever, take their privileged little behinds out of my house they are somehow aghast at how "unfair" life is. Sweetie... Life never was fair... I simply made the error of wanting to provide you nice things. For that... I apologize.

Privilege promotes dependency and unrealistic expectations.
Struggle creates balance and a spirit of thanks.

Welcome back, D4T.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Ferd

Well said D! I pray I have the parental fortitude to teach my kids as you state here.

When my son tells me something isnt fair, I tell him "if life was a fair you would be a bearded lady"

To which he responds with dirision.... lol... I think he is starting to get it.

Love it, Ferd!

[MawMaw]

Originally Posted by Ferd

The sad reality is that every civilization that has risen to domanance has reached a point of maturity. At that point the society turns inward and "enjoys" the fruit of its labor. When that happens, that society begins to lose the very things that brought it to its high place.

Narcisim is in many ways a product of pride. We are warned by history and by the wisdom of scripture that such behavior leads to distruction.

I dont know if I will be alive to see the fall of America, but I fully expect my children or grand children will be here to see it.

I dont know of the crash of our civilization will mark the return of Jesus.... others thought that of thiers.... but we will pay the piper as a nation. We will face a day of wrath. I dont necessarily mean wrath in the sense of the Judgement of God but certainly in the sense that when this thing comes crashing down there will be pain and disillusionment.

We have a thousand examples that have gone before us and we will NOT learn the lessons of history.

Sad truths.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Ferd

The sad reality is that every civilization that has risen to domanance has reached a point of maturity. At that point the society turns inward and "enjoys" the fruit of its labor. When that happens, that society begins to lose the very things that brought it to its high place.

Narcisim is in many ways a product of pride. We are warned by history and by the wisdom of scripture that such behavior leads to distruction.

I dont know if I will be alive to see the fall of America, but I fully expect my children or grand children will be here to see it.

I dont know of the crash of our civilization will mark the return of Jesus.... others thought that of thiers.... but we will pay the piper as a nation. We will face a day of wrath. I dont necessarily mean wrath in the sense of the Judgement of God but certainly in the sense that when this thing comes crashing down there will be pain and disillusionment.

We have a thousand examples that have gone before us and we will NOT learn the lessons of history.

I am thinking that unless your in your mid 80's or older AND in poor health, it is likely you will see it first hand.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ferd

The sad reality is that every civilization that has risen to domanance has reached a point of maturity. At that point the society turns inward and "enjoys" the fruit of its labor. When that happens, that society begins to lose the very things that brought it to its high place.

Narcisim is in many ways a product of pride. We are warned by history and by the wisdom of scripture that such behavior leads to distruction.

I dont know if I will be alive to see the fall of America, but I fully expect my children or grand children will be here to see it.

I dont know of the crash of our civilization will mark the return of Jesus.... others thought that of thiers.... but we will pay the piper as a nation. We will face a day of wrath. I dont necessarily mean wrath in the sense of the Judgement of God but certainly in the sense that when this thing comes crashing down there will be pain and disillusionment.

We have a thousand examples that have gone before us and we will NOT learn the lessons of history.

So true and a good expression of the quote below. While the author and original content remain in question the truth of it does not.

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.

We've just about finished the cycle. But... the good news is that the whole process starts over and we find spiritual faith again once we fully squander our freedom and affluence.

[Ferd]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

So true and a good expression of the quote below. While the author and original content remain in question the truth of it does not.



We've just about finished the cycle. But... the good news is that the whole process starts over and we find spiritual faith again once we fully squander our freedom and affluence.

It does place a renewed urgency in my heart to teach my kids to be strong enough for the fight they will face.