The Associated Press published a recent article entitled, College Students Think They’re So Special: Study Finds Alarming Rise in Narcissism, Self-Centeredness in ‘Generation Me’ (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ id/17349066/fromET/print1/display mode/1098; last accessed on March 5, 2007). It is quite amusing and disturbing when the secularist ‘discovers’ what believers have known all along. Here are some highlights from this article:
- A comprehensive study done by five psychologists indicates that college students are more self-centered than their predecessors
- The psychologists are worried that the trend could be harmful to personal relationships and American society
- The study indicates the obvious: “Narcissists tend to lack empathy, react aggressively to criticism and favor self-promotion over helping others.”
- Researches point to the ‘self-esteem movement’ that emerged in the 1980s as the cause.
- MySpace and YouTube by virtue of their names encourage self-promotion.
- The study finds a cure in eliminating permissiveness and more authoritative parenting; “Less indulgence might be called for.”
- A University of Vermont sophomore named Kari Dalane concluded, “It would be more depressing if people answered, ‘No, I’m not special.’”
We marvel at the thinking of this generation, but forget about those schools that are training them. Public schools and colleges are consumed with social issues. The teachers trained within the world's system take coursework that focuses upon self-esteem and social equity rather than upon the subjects they will teach. Consider this quote from a book I am reading:
One professor told future teachers of language arts: ‘More important than content or thinking [are] the students’ feelings. You are not there to feed them information but to be sensitive to their need for positive reinforcement, for self-esteem.’ A UCLA professor cautioned a class of young teachers against correcting children’s spelling and punctuation: ‘It’s more important for them to create than follow rules.’
This goes back to the temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden. “You will be like God…” whispered the serpent and Eve bit! This is the battle being waged throughout the history of man: The Kingdom of Light against the Kingdom of Darkness. The humanism of Dewey, Rogers, and Maslow has become the fodder of the Devil today; he doles it out dutifully to the educators of tomorrow.
Any form of child training or education that leaves God out of the picture will lead to what we see in the Me Generation of today. If today’s generation has a purpose for living at all, then it is not found in the fact that they were created to please and glorify Almighty God. The purpose is wholly self-centered. It should not surprise us then when people leave objective truth behind and embrace a subjective fuzzy form of personally constructed truth – that which is right in one’s own eyes.
Since young people have a far too optimistic view of themselves, they see little need for redemption. They are taught that ‘sin’ is the repression of self-expression or religious morals foisted upon them. Is it any wonder that they respond with great condescension to the Gospel presentation? The ugly, rotten fruit of the self-esteem movement is being plucked from the tree today. The most terrible aspect of it is found in the fact that the Me Generation finds it has no need of salvation from sin. After all, they’re special!
