Cultural History of Narcissism

In Imogen Tyler's article, she discusses the rise in narcissism in the Me Generation. It focuses at first at the negative implications of being narcissistic. Tyler focuses on Sigmund Freud's concept of narcissism and how "social norms and values are internalized within the formative structures of the psyche by the incorporation of ideals that control the subject by directing his or her desire." I definitely agree with this aspect, mostly because with the upcoming and ever-going social media craze, it's definitely heightened egoism and self-absorbed behavior. I also agree with the point he makes about narcissism being necessary to a certain extent. In my opinion, narcissism is a very extreme form of confidence, so without at least a small percentage of narcissistic ideology, people's insecurities would outdo any warrant to initiate changes and revolutionary breakthroughs. One thing about the article, however, was the introduction of Lasch and his extremely sexist views on women and narcissism. With claims such as

"the liberalization of sexuality and sexual mores has made women, already prone to narcissism, even more narcissistic. The culture of narcissism, he argues, ‘requires that women smoke and drink in public, move about freely, and assert their right to happiness instead of living for others’ (74). Lasch makes analogies between a series of female figures – the prostitute, sexually liberated women, feminists, career women, lesbians and bad mothers – whose narcissism variously illustrates the catastrophic impact of the decline of the patriarchy on the male psyche and wider society."

These claims and ideas just made my blood boil as I read. This insight to the history of narcissism was very eye-opening for me, and I like that Tyler presents these ideas and chunks of evidence to show how narcissism took height in American culture, no matter how much I disagreed with some of them. I also enjoy her little tidbit on how without narcissism, nothing would be how it is today. All the technological, social, and economical advances in our society has been brought here through narcissism and people wanting to better themselves.
     All in all, after reading this article, I agree that there is a happy medium where Narcissism can lie in both being good and bad for this generation and for society in general.