Narcissism and Indulgence Equal the Death of Common Sense

Yesterday I heard on Larry Mantle's Air Talk (89.3 KPCC) that there are laws in the works to make it illegal for drivers to have dogs and cats roaming freely in their cars because of the obvious potential dangers. So today I hear on the morning news that a woman crashed her car into a power pole after her cat, sitting on her lap, scratched her.

In a society built on common sense and a sense of accountability to others, these laws would be unnecessary. But as people become more and more narcissistic and indulgent, local, state, and federal governments will have to play the role of nanny issuing correctives for a population suffering stunted emotional growth. Therefore, we can expect these types of laws to grow like weeds.

The theme of a nation that never grew up because it decided that adulthood is a scam and a dud and that the best life of all is one characterized by the indulgences and narcissism of teenage life is well explained in Joseph Epstein's essay, "The Perpetual Adolescent" and in Tom Perrotta's novel Little Children.

Comments

[Ed S.]

Christopher Lasch said it all 30 years ago in "The Culture of Narcissism." I think they complained about the teenagers back in ancient Greece, too.

[Jeff McMahon]

I struggle with the question: Is this narcissism worse today or same old stuff?

[Ed S.]

Human nature hasn't really changed in a million years or so.

[Jeff McMahon]

I agree. We just have cars now and cell phones and lonely people who take their cats with them in the car.

[Tom Welch]

Jeff, checkout the book "Pursuit of Loneliness" on Amazon.Com, this book has a very similar theme. I think young men today are very immature.

[Jeff McMahon]

Tom, I believe I had the privilege of teaching an excerpt from that book several years ago. I had forgotten about it. I just wish-listed it. Maybe I'll teach the entire book soon. Thanks. Jeff