Researchers Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell tested thousands of college students with statements like “I insist upon getting the respect that is due me,” and “I think I am a special person” to discover a 30% rise in narcissism from 1982 to 2006.
By 2006, 51% of 18- to 25-year-olds reported that “becoming” famous was an important goal to them—nearly five times more than those who said “becoming more spiritual” was important to them.
Some of us are famous for very good reasons, of course. Take myself, for example.
You have long been my role model, Phil.
The “I think I am a special person” needs some kind of empirical check as to whether the person is special or not, doesn’t it? ‘Cause if they are, then it isn’t narcissistic to think so.
And with a snippet of the Incredibles just a few posts up, don’t tell me that everyone is special….
Good point, but they may have given it a context. Even asking whether a person believes he is a cut above the rest, there may be good reasons to agree that he is. Now something like “If I ruled the world, it would be a better place” needs the opposite reality check.