Today's Students

Are Today's Students to Self-Centered? Not only is this a valid question, but it is also the title to an article written by the AP's Lloyd de Vries.

In this article, de Vries begins the article with the following statement:

"Today's college students are more narcissistic and self-centered than their predecessors, according to a comprehensive new study by five psychologists who worry that the trend could be harmful to personal relationships and American society."

This trend is something many of us in the K-12 world have been discussing for the last several years. We see, in our students, a desire to finish rather than a desire to do their best which I believe has its roots in this narcissistic and self-centered nature. Students do not think about the world beyond their own world. Their thoughts are short term and me-centered and do not consider the world outside of who they are.

The article highlights Professor Jean Twenge and her team from San Diego State University.

"Twenge and her colleagues, in findings to be presented at a workshop Tuesday in San Diego on the generation gap, examined the responses of 16,475 college students nationwide who completed an evaluation called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory between 1982 and 2006.
The standardized inventory, known as the NPI, asks for responses to such statements as "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place," "I think I am a special person" and "I can live my life any way I want to. The researchers describe their study as the largest ever of its type and say students' NPI scores have risen steadily since the current test was introduced in 1982. By 2006, they said, two-thirds of the students had above-average scores, 30 percent more than in 1982."

The article brings to light the issues with narcissism in an honest and sincere way.

"Narcissism can have benefits, said study co-author W. Keith Campbell of the University of Georgia, suggesting it could be useful in meeting new people "or auditioning on 'American Idol."

"Unfortunately, narcissism can also have very negative consequences for society, including the breakdown of close relationships with others," he said. The study asserts that narcissists "are more likely to have romantic relationships that are short-lived, at risk for infidelity, lack emotional warmth, and to exhibit game-playing, dishonesty, and over-controlling and violent behaviors."

And, her is the really interesting part of their study, which I am sure will bring lots of flack from the secular establishment...

"The researchers traced the phenomenon back to what they called the "self-esteem movement" that emerged in the 1980s, asserting that the effort to build self-confidence had gone too far."

This is around the time when the secular humanist mindset became dominant pushing out all other mindsets. Again, honest research points to a truth only found in scripture... the only Truth there is... Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to read the article carefully. It is yet another example of a redemptive God who is in complete control providing us what we need. As a father, I read it with great interest and conviction. I pray you will do the same. Blessings!