From the Editors March 12, 2012 Issue

When God, not 'self,' is first

The Editors

The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in an age of entitlement by Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell raises some startling observations about individuals in American culture today. 

As the title suggests, narcissism is at the root of the “epidemic.” The narcissist (taken from the Greek myth of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image) typically has an extremely positive or inflated view of self, and tends to treasure material wealth and physical appearance. Unlike most, narcissists stop at nothing to see that their demands are fulfilled. When satisfying self (at all costs) determines the decisions one makes, the ramifications can not only be damaging to personal life, but also to the world at large. A whole array of problems have cropped up with this kind of mentality, ranging from inflated credit card debt and upside down mortgages (major contributors to the economic recession in the United States), to an obsession with beauty and plastic surgery, infidelity in marriage—even violence. 

Certainly it would be unfair to put all the blame for today’s economic woes on those with narcissistic tendencies. And while most people don’t fall into such an extreme category, it’s worth our attention to ask ourselves how even the smallest demand that begins with “self” can take a turn for the better. A good starting point is looking to God, which the Bible identifies as divine Truth—the only power. When we let Truth be our guide, our thoughts shift from a focus on self to more of what Jesus’ life represented: a continual communion with His Father. In other words, putting God first. In this way, we learn more about our true selfhood, which is spiritual and expressed through divinely inspired decisions. 

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