Unmasking Narcissism: The Ultimate Act of Repentance in a Consumer Culture

Characteristics of the Culture that Promote Narcissism Some social analysts believe that today’s culture is characterized by youth who are obsessed with seeking self-fulfillment and are motivated by an exaggerated sense of selfimportance. Overall, our culture values individuality as its highest priority, with individual freedom, personal choice, and individual rights at the core of what the nation stands for. It is possible that today’s culture has become so individualized that narcissism— an unhealthy overemphasis on selfimportance, self-love, and selfesteem—is virtually the norm rather than the exception as a trait among citizens. Our primary way of approaching decisions in relationships has become so focused on our individual rights that such concepts as self-sacrifice, duties, or responsibilities toward others are largely forgotten.