Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Another reason to scold the internet?
Using Facebook is the online equivalent of staring at yourself in the mirror, according to a study. Those who spent more time updating their profile on the social networking site were more likely to be narcissists, said researchers. Facebook provides an ideal setting for narcissists to monitor their appearance and how many ‘friends’ they have, the study said, as it allows them to thrive on ‘shallow’ relationships while avoiding genuine warmth and empathy. They also tend to use the site for promoting themselves to friends or people they would like to meet, the study concluded.
Researcher Soraya Mehdizadeh from York University in Canada asked 100 students, 50 male and 50 female, aged between 18 and 25 about their Facebook habits. They all took psychology tests to measure their levels of narcissism, which the study defined as ‘a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and an exaggerated sense of self-importance’.
One almost forgets that Christopher Lasch was decrying America's descent into narcissism back in 1979, before these narcissistic 18-25-year-olds were a gleam in their narcissistic parents' eyes. And guess what? Lasch landed a lot of blows with his searing critique of everything rotten and corrupt about American culture gone wrong, but his proclamation of "an age of diminishing expectations" -- this is Mr. Malaise we're talking about here -- never fully gibed with the reality of American life, where things were, in different ways, getting better and getting worse at the same time.
Lasch's most potent observation was that Americans were too apt to abdicate all political responsibility for their everyday lives, and I endorse his suggestion that a sound psyche and an unwillingness to outsource all political work to Washington go hand in hand. But I turn skeptical out of reflex whenever someone alleges that the internet is turning us all into self-centered weirdos who make the Me Generation look like paragons of social decency by comparison.
And I can't help but think that, with studies like this Facebook study, the pop science industry is practically hardwiring that kind of narrative into our collective consciousness. Who has the moxie nowadays to resist the idea that the results of this study provide a powerful guide to What's Wrong With Us? Who are you to deny the cold, hard facts of a clinical trial? Statistics proves that you can pull a hundred people off the street, put them in a petri dish, and pass final judgments on society at large! We are, after all, so similar, so equal, and so interchangeable that what's true about a random sample in a controlled environment is true about us all! I'm a little less worried about how many of us are narcissists today than I am about how consistent our narcissism has become with the proposition that statisticians and clinical trials tell us the truth about who we are.
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Hey! Who are you calling a narcissist?
I have a Facebook page. With probably way more friends than you.
I have fresh, intelligent perspectives on my Facebook.
So who are you to talk about me like a dog?
Sep '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
My narcissism takes a backseat to making money online through Facebook and other social media outlets.
Besides, vanity is overrated when you look like this!
May '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Hear, hear, James!
I'm getting very weary with pop science lumping me into a poll and labeling me based on their preconceived notions. I have a FB account. Big deal. I've also got a lot of friends on that account. Believe it or not, I'm a friendly gal. I've made a lot of connections with folks through the years. That doesn't mean I'm shallow. I can also tell the vast difference between a REAL relationship versus a contact or acquaintance I "touch" through a networking site because I've got a tighter network of REAL friends I actually have true relationship with. Sheesh!
And yes, Kenneth, that was a lot of I's. I am talking about me, after all... ;-)
Jul '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
FeliciaB: Hear, hear, James!
I'm getting very weary with pop science lumping me into a poll and labeling me based on their preconceived notions. I have a FB account. Big deal. I've also got a lot of friends on that account. Believe it or not, I'm a friendly gal. I've made a lot of connections with folks through the years. That doesn't mean I'm shallow. I can also tell the vast difference between a REAL relationship versus a contact or acquaintance I "touch" through a networking site because I've got a tighter network of REAL friends I actually have true relationship with. Sheesh!
And yes, Kenneth, that was a lot of I's. I am talking about me, after all... ;-) · Sep 11 at 9:32pm
Will you please shut up?
I can hardly get a word about myself in edgewise.
Sep '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
That is sly, Kenneth. And your subtle dig is correct: Barack Obama is our first "Facebook President." He is all about appearances, with no substance whatsoever. I guarantee you that Obama has never passed a mirror in his life without stopping to preen & admire himself. Sometimes I think he really is stuck at the emotional level of a 14-year-old girl.
Edited on Sep 11, 2010 at 9:56pmJul '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
David Parsons
That was sly, Kenneth. And your subtle dig is correct: Barack Obama is our first "Facebook President." He is all about appearances, with no substance whatsoever. I guarantee you that Obama has never passed a mirror in his life without stopping to preen & admire himself. Sometimes I think he really is stuck at the emotional level of a 14-year-old girl. · Sep 11 at 9:54pm
Except a 14-year-old-girl looks more butch on a bicycle.
May '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Kenneth
FeliciaB: Hear, hear, James!
I'm getting very weary with pop science lumping me into a poll and labeling me based on their preconceived notions. I have a FB account. Big deal. I've also got a lot of friends on that account. Believe it or not, I'm a friendly gal. I've made a lot of connections with folks through the years. That doesn't mean I'm shallow. I can also tell the vast difference between a REAL relationship versus a contact or acquaintance I "touch" through a networking site because I've got a tighter network of REAL friends I actually have true relationship with. Sheesh!
And yes, Kenneth, that was a lot of I's. I am talking about me, after all... ;-) · Sep 11 at 9:32pm
Will you please shut up?
I can hardly get a word about myself in edgewise. · Sep 11 at 9:42pm
Make me. In the meantime, I'm posting a status about me.
Jul '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
FeliciaB
Kenneth
Will you please shut up?
I can hardly get a word about myself in edgewise. · Sep 11 at 9:42pm
Make me. In the meantime, I'm posting a status about me. · Sep 11 at 9:56pm
Yeah, yeah. Your usual:
"Felicia B. is enjoying a snack of imported Cheez Doodles Picante, finished off with vintage Fresca."
Boring.
I never bore my Friends. I delight them with delightful quips about....Me!
The trick is to appear to be self-deprecating, while calling attention to my brilliance.
This is something that can only be accomplished with a subtle blend of narcissist and sociopath.
Sep '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
I do not Twitter and I do not participate in Facebook or anything of the sort. God knows I have a large ego, but I simply cannot make myself believe that anyone would find me & my lifestyle that interesting. Plus, I do not own a cellphone and I studiously avoid mirrors. Make of that what you will.
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Hmm. How do you feel about garlic, David?
May '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
The trick is to appear to be self-deprecating, while calling attention to my brilliance.
This is something that can only be accomplished with a subtle blend of narcissist and sociopath. · Sep 11 at 10:03pm
I will be observing and taking lessons. I'm not so sure about the ability to hide my brilliance, though.
Sep '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
James Poulos, Ed.
Hmm. How do you feel about garlic, David?
Zing! I was waiting for the vampire joke. Congratulations, James. You got in the first shot.
Edited on Sep 11, 2010 at 10:16pmJul '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
FeliciaB
The trick is to appear to be self-deprecating, while calling attention to my brilliance.
This is something that can only be accomplished with a subtle blend of narcissist and sociopath. · Sep 11 at 10:03pm
I will be observing and taking lessons. I'm not so sure about the ability to hide my brilliance, though. · Sep 11 at 10:10pm
Here's a hint: quote Samuel Johnson or Kant in a way that makes you seem humble - but reminds people that you're erudite enough to make a pedestrian point by quoting Johnson or Kant.
Now, more about me....
Sep '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Kenneth
Here's a hint: quote Samuel Johnson or Kant in a way that makes you seem humble - but reminds people that you're erudite enough to make a pedestrian point by quoting Johnson or Kant.
Hey! I practically make a fetish out of quoting Samuel Johnson. Let's face it; he is the "go-to guy" if you need an industrial-strength quote on any conceivable subject.
Aug '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
In H.G. Wells' book The Time Machine, the human race of the far future has divided itself into two distinct genetic camps: the Eloi - a frail, narcissistic, and passive group; and the Morlocks - a savage, monstrous, and ignorant species. The Eloi are raised by the Morlocks for food.
Wells may have been prescient. Today we see a self-indulgent western world that has trouble even recognizing evil in a vengeful culture that honors and encourages suicide bombers and the mass murder of westerners; and even their fellow citizens who associate with the west.
May '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
I and most of my friends use Facebook as a rolodex, basically. You meet someone, if you don't exactly get around to exchanging email addresses or phone numbers, you can surely find them on Facebook. Then you can keep in touch rather effortlessly with people you haven't spoken to in years. And the best part is, their Facebook profile follows them around, so their contact info gets updated by them every time they move, so you don't lose touch with people unless you want to.
Oh, and I used it to share news items, articles, and videos with my friends, the way people used to forward emails.
Edited on Sep 12, 2010 at 11:30amAug '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
Myriad reasons exist to have a Facebook account (I originally got FB and Myspace so I could use it to investigate plaintiff's activities who claimed personal injuries). I have quit both because I was bothered by how I reacted to it.
What is missing from this discussion is the acknowledgment that FB is a technology and our culture tends to embrace new technology without thinking through the ramifications of its effects on us. As Neil Postman explored, just as the wheel, the plow and movable type have all had positive effects on us, our new technologies do too. But they come with a price. It may be great to catch up with old friends and family members. But FB lends itself to shallow and superficial "friendships." We're en-souled creatures who thrive in an active and close communion with the people with whom we share our lives by breaking bread together, embracing, shaking hands and sharing joys and sorrows not simply "like"ing posts. When one is lying on his death bed, is he really going to say "I wish I had more time to Facebook"?
Jul '10
Re: Which is Worse: Narcissism or Pop Science?
I use FB to keep up with friends and family and do not comment on it about myself too much. I do have friends/relatives that somehow think everyone should know about every little thing happening in their lives and it's very annoying.