Are Millennials More Narcissistic Than Their Parents
Since the dawn of man, older generations have always had something negative to say about the younger generation. They insist they are shallow, lazy, entitled, and selfish. In short, older generations always think the next generation is narcissistic. However, this might be true for millennials. There is hard scientific data to back up this claim. We at http://bitgale.com/ have done a bit of research into this issue and here is what we found.
What the Data Says
According to data from the National Institute of Health, narcissism is almost three times higher in millennials than in those 65 or older. Another study found that narcissism was 58% higher in 2009 compared to the same survey conducted in 1982. One reason for this may be the participation medals that millennials got while they were growing up.
What It Means for The Workplace
Because of this relentless effort to soothe their egos, a study showed that 40% of them expect to get a promotion every two year, whether they perform well or not. Three times as many girls in middle school want to be PAs to a famous person than those that want to be a senator. An indicator that millennials are narcissistic.
In another study by the National Study of Youth and Religion, it was found that over 60% of millennials choose right and wrong by being able to feel it. Besides that, millennials are lazy. Today, there are more people aged 18 to 29 that live in their parents’ home than those living with a spouse. In another study conducted in 1992, 80% of those under 23 years wanted to have a job with more responsibility compared to just 60% in 2002.
The Millennial Revolution
Millennials are the most exciting and influential since the baby boomers brought social change in the US. Not that they are overthrowing the establishment but because they have grown up in a time when there is not one. With the coming of the industrial revolution, it empowered individuals, which meant anyone could move to the city, join a movement, and even start a business.
With the information age, individuals had power placed in their hands, which made it possible for them to compete with large corporations. Now we have hackers who can bring down entire organizations locked up in a basement somewhere with just a few keystrokes.
Their Parents Were Narcissists as Well
Millennials in the US were born to the baby boomer, known for being a bit narcissistic. They produced children and raised them in their image. This problem was made worse by the onset of technology. Today, if you get into most homes, you will find dozens of photos of a person and their pet. In the past, the house would be filled with family photos so from wall to wall. In addition to that, millennials have one of the lowest civic engagement levels of any generation.
One reason this has happened is that in the 70s, people wanted to instill self-confidence in kids to improve their chances of success in life. However, that turned out to a big mistake. What happened was that instead of boosting their self-esteem, parents ended up encouraging their narcissism.
When they step out into the real world, and their greatness is not reaffirmed, they get disappointed. The result is that it has created a crisis of unmet expectations. Millennials have become quite famous for their sense of entitlement. One of the most discussed topics at middle management seminars is about how they can handle young employees. These employees will email the CEO saying they want to be taken off a project since it is too boring.
Peer Influence
Another reason why millennials maybe so narcissistic is the way they interact socially. A hundred years ago, only a few kids went to school, that means they would spend most of the day with their parents and older adults. This helped to make them feel like they were good. However, today, most kids grow up interacting with mostly their peers.
They spend almost all day chatting with fellow age mates, who have no real knowledge to impart to them. Because of this, feelings such as empathy and creativity have considerably dropped in most kids. Not only are millennials unable to empathize with others, but they also lack the intelligence to understand a different point of views from theirs.
Another reason for this extreme narcissism is reality TV. These were shows that glorified narcissism. Combined with the lack of parental quality time with them, most of them have grown up to believe that this distorted worldview is how life works. These days, you will find young people, who are not yet in their 30s, defining themselves. Most psychologies will say that is wrong.
However, not all is lost. These are still young people, and if someone cares, he or she can always speak to them. They can always be saved from their narcissism before they pass it on to their kids.