“Welcome to the age of digital narcissism, a world of endless ostentation opportunities and unlimited bragging possibilities. Showing-off has never been easier and, ironically, more celebrated.” This media network blog, posted at The Guardian, by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic makes the point that social media is feeding an explosive growth in narcissism. The blog acknowledges that narcissism was here long before social media, but social media has allowed it to grow unchecked. We are the stars of our own “shows,” and we live for the adulation. Too bad many people do not put the time and effort to actually deliver a talented production, and the blog suggests those people may be better off by lowering their expectations. I agree with the blog’s contention that some narcissism is actually healthy but it is a problem when on over-drive. I also agree that positive feedback on our postings (Facebook, Twits, Snapchat, etc.) can inflate our self-worth to unrealistic levels.
What puzzles me on this blog is what is missing: the dark side of feedback, the trolls. Social media gives us a global stage where our most insignificant achievements can be praised by friends and strangers. However, that global stage is a two-edged sword. Our greatest achievements can be torn apart by internet trolls, whose purpose in life is to tear other people apart (that may be a manifestation of their own narcissism, feeling powerful by belittling others). Trolling can range from cyber bullying to passive-aggressive put-downs and just about anything/everything in between.
The blog suggests that algorithms could be made to alert social media users “about their growing grandiosity, excessive self-promotion, pathological self-love and even signal when an entire population might be at risk of becoming too self-obsessed for its own sake.” I highly doubt that narcissists would be interested in such an app, but trolls may love it if they can be used to measure other people’s postings. There may be a market for such an application.
The blog forces us to think about our narcissism. It leads us to question what level of narcissism is healthy. That could be an interesting debate. I would pose a second question, derived from the troll phenomena the blog does not address: Can our (unhealthy) narcissism be channelized in a positive direction? Will selfitis be a future medical disorder? The below article is an interesting take away.
social media - gba class blog 