What is going on in the world today? It seems like more and more people are turning into narcissists.
Whether it is the increasing obsession with themselves, or the need for control – it is there…
…and it is very scary.
Society itself has a lot to answer for, and I don’t feel the world is ready to ask the questions I am about to give you.
If you want to know why – let’s start together. I warn you though – it is not pretty!
narcissist
We all know them by now, don’t we?
A narcissist is the person we all want to avoid, but some of us are drawn to them, as if we were drawn into a black hole.
There is an attraction with them that seems so magical, and before we know it, we are deep inside, with no clear way out in sight.
They are extremely egotistical.
They are always right.
They are also always victims.
They hate challenge.
They live for the validation of others.
They are insecure and envious people.
They love to stir up drama, and then pretend they have nothing to do with it.
They love to brag.
So why are these characters becoming increasingly prominent in today’s society?
What’s Causing This Narcissistic Boom?
Just look at how easy it is to put yourself out there.
If narcissists want to brag, they no longer have to rely solely on the people in their immediate surroundings.
Suddenly, Daisy and Mike in the office can have 2,000 followers on Instagram, or 500 friends on Facebook.
Suddenly, the narcissist’s neighbors are all they connect with on platforms that send their photos and brags to the world.
Related : You’re Shocked to See Where Narcissists Really End Up
See how easy it is to do this?
Help: My Life Is Amazing! Let’s Tell (Literally) Millions of People!
Why All This Rise?
Well, it’s easy.
There’s nothing hard about posting online.
There’s nothing hard about seeing content that gets tons of likes and followers, and trying to beat them at their own game.
There’s nothing hard about getting yourself tagged in all the top-rated places possible.
It’s ready for anyone to start exploring it – and more and more people are falling into the narcissistic trap of doing so.
Society: Now vs. Then
Okay, before you think I’m sending you back to prehistoric times, I want to tell you that I’m not a fossil!
But I remember a society before ours, and it was very different.
People talked and listened. They didn’t see a photo opportunity at the dinner table. They just sat and looked at their companions and ate.
There was never a need to constantly think, “I should tell people online about this moment, because it will show them how wonderful, caring, kind and compassionate I am.”
There were certainly no filters, pretending to the masses that their lives were better than everyone else’s.
At best, we had photo albums that we would pull out at Christmas and show families our holidays that year.
Now?
Everything is alive.
Everything is constant.
Nothing stops. Minds never stop to think about what others might want to see on their pages.
This belief creeps in, and creeps in.
Do you know anyone who fits the description?
You will always find someone you know who fits what you have already written.
If you can’t think of anyone you know personally, just look to the wider world, to celebrities, or so-called influencers.
Social Media: “Look at me!”
Is there a worse way to live than to rely on what you post online as a way to validate yourself as a person?
I don’t think so.
And yet here we are, in the middle of the day in the 2020s, and this is how millions of people in this world live. I am absolutely amazed at what you can post, and how you can get instant responses afterward.
Related : Why Your Ex Is Likely Not the Narcissist You Think They Are
Some people spend all day scrolling through comments, talking to people who have liked your posts, following, following, and being very careful to please people they know and don’t know.
TheComparisonGame
The art of comparison is not an art form that I particularly admire – it’s an art that people play.
It’s damaging to think that your life is defined by what everyone else is like and doing.
If you don’t keep up with society, why not?
You don’t have the latest sponsorship, why not?
You didn’t get that promotion that everyone else seems to have, why not?
You don’t go on vacation here or there, why not?
Your house isn’t aesthetically pleasing, why not?
Okay, we may not care about these things, but the narcissist needs to succeed at everything they do. They need to do everything they see them doing online, because they don’t just want to keep up – they want to be the best.
They compare themselves. They have to. It’s how they play the “I have it all, you don’t” game.
If someone spends a weekend in a nice city, the narcissist wants to spend two weeks there.
If a friend gets a new $40,000 car, a narcissist is looking for a $70,000 car.
Being online and following everyone’s social media updates makes it easy to spread your bragging rights, and outdo them.
LikesObsessed
If you had asked me twenty years ago if I could have predicted the dawn of narcissism, I wouldn’t have contributed to the internet.
I’ve seen it explode and become an online encyclopedia. I’ve seen the ability to download music or movies. I’ve seen people connect and network for business.
It still is. But now it’s a haven for likes, followers, ostentation, comparison, judgment, trolling, ridicule, criticism, ignoring, arguing, bullying – and so much more.
All of these words also fit the description of a narcissist – who would not have been able to make their toxicity so public without the internet.
The internet is an amazing place – it’s where we connect! It’s where I share my news, opinions, and topics with you.
The problem with modern society is that it has made those with low tolerance less tolerant.
It has made those who want to show off able to do so in front of huge audiences. It has made the art of taking a picture of yourself an obsession for likes, how to look perfect, and who to show it to.
In my personal opinion, this is one of the main reasons why modern society has turned more and more people into narcissists.
