“Generation Me” author Jean Twenge visited MU and Columbia this past week and took part in a series of events, beginning with a book signing at the University Bookstore and ending with a lecture Thursday where she also answered readers’ questions at Jesse Auditorium.
“Generation Me,” the Mizzou Reads selection for 2010, concerns those aged seven to 36 years. In the book, Twenge discusses how “Generation Me” has been taught they were “special” from birth, which leads to narcissism, loneliness and ultimately depression.
Some students said they disagreed with what Twenge had to say about their generation.
“I don’t think she was right in classifying all of us as depressed,” freshman Courtney Watkins said. “I think I’m a pretty happy person and it offended me when I read that.”
Even with the general negative opinion on the book, attendance at her lecture was quite robust. Many of the students present at the lecture were those who had previously said they did not enjoy the book. Twenge attempted to win them back over to her side during her lecture.
“The book was interesting at parts but wasn’t a good read,” freshman April Keel said. “She did a great job of backing up her facts in the presentation with current information.”
The use of outdated statistics was a big problem with Twenge’s book, Keel said.
Twenge elected to focus on the content discussed in the book rather than the the writing process. The main point she focused on was narcissism, what leads to it and why it is a detrimental quality. Twenge stressed self-esteem as a good thing, but only if used as a “tool” rather than as a lifestyle.
“Self-esteem does not lead to great things, great things lead to high self-esteem,” Twenge said. “Excessive self-esteem can be bad because of the consequences of an unrealistic view.”
The difference between self-esteem and more severe and negative narcissism was a focal point in her lecture. Twenge said narcissism is excessively high self-esteem, so much so that the subject becomes completely self-involved. Twenge stressed that in life, narcissists do not go far.
“Everyone gets a trophy in children's sports now,” Twenge said. “In schools they even sing a song called, ‘I Am Special,’ set to the tune of 'Frère Jacques.' We are just furthering the narcissistic behavior in children.”
At the close of the lecture, Twenge broadened her theories to all ages and related her presentation to her latest book, “The Narcissistic Epidemic.” She used social networking as evidence to support her claim that narcissism is an epidemic.
“Facebook is a good thing in general,” she said. “It can, however, lead to narcissism. People who spend 15 minutes on Facebook score much higher in narcissism studies than someone who spends 15 minutes on Google Maps.”
Twenge exited after a brief question-and-answer session. Before her departure, she left the audience with a parting question: does the world change for the generation or does the generation change for the world? The audience stayed silent for a moment in response.
The audience was not limited to MU students and faculty.
“I would give her a 10 out of 10,” Columbia resident Libby Gill said. “That was about the best lecture by a professor you will ever see.”
The respect was echoed by Keel.
“You have to appreciate all the research she did,” Keel said. “She spent so many countless hours pouring over studies, and it really made for a great presentation.”
Friday, September 10, 2010
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