post re-edited after a bit of time
I read a few chapters of a book — these chapters going into the positive and negative fault-lines of the “Millenial Generation”. It’s interesting that the Narcissism matter is picked up and tacked right back to — in particular — the contemporaneous reporting on the rise of the Baby Boomer Generation. (See the Time Magazine article that referenced them as “The Person of the Year” in terms of being GREAT!) But, as reported in the widely circulating essay on the poll, which showed that the number of people in this age group who respond positively to the question of whether they consider themselves a “Special Person”, the number has sky-rocketed. I suppose this may come from a lull to Cynical Jaded Generation X — popular reporting says we moved from “Latch-key kid” to “Helicopter Parents” — an item which, I suspect in the end excuses any of today’s “Latch-key Kid” parents.
Two anecdotal suggestions in the book are highly amusing. A fifth grade class is polled for their “Favorite Freedoms”. The first place goes to “Freedom of Expression”, which is appropriate enough in today’s technology of communications. Second place went to “Freedom to Dress as We Want”. The author does not suggest what I think is obvious: we have a highly parochial self interest even more than cultural attitude shifts. I can’t tell if the author suggests what may be at the heart of the fourth favorite freedom — “To Marry whoever we want” — is acknowledges as a matter of gay rights — the teacher muses that “Washington and Jefferson wouldn’t have come to that one.”
The other anecdote is the report of employers shuffling to placate the “New Generation” and its socialization. A lot of need for constant reinforcement and encouragement. They need to throw confetti by the bushel-full to “reward” and point out individual goods. It’d be a trend I’ve no use for myself — but one of the bright sides of the Economic Doldrums and Employer Market might be to halt this one.