How bad is narcissism today?

I posted recently about the foolish girl who was so engrossed in her mobile phone (http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/greek-odyssey-t32518-15.html) that the lift doors opened, closed and left her behind. You'll know the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4BlDZjnLXs) and of course fools did rush in: "you think the world revolves around you" trumpeted Surfcrest. Richard (aka. Brad the Impala) and Jonah (aka. a447) weren't far behind. All fabulous stuff and justifying my practice of Dadaism (Dadaists among other things regard taking oneself seriously as the ultimate sin). I'm interested only in having fun and if that's at, for example, Surfcrest's, Richard or Jonah (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjfEec1mfZE)'s expense, all the better :AR!

However, I digress. The NY Times columnist David Brooks has published a book on the narcissism of our age: The Road to Character (http://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Character-David-Brooks/dp/081299325X). Did you know that the percentage of American teenagers who believe themselves to be "very important" jumped from 12 percent in 1950 to 80 percent in 2005? Me neither. Reviews can be found here (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/books/review/the-road-to-character-by-david-brooks.html?_r=0) and here (http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21651767-how-get-narcissism-thoughtfulness-you-are-not-special)

I particularly like the headline in the second review "You are not special". Perhaps Brooks should have made a study of a447 for this book. Remember that this is a Forum where very, very few of us know each other in day-to-day life, in the flesh. Our reputations are meaningless - or at least mine is to me. Yet a447 started and devoted an entire thread (http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/blatant-deception-t32915.html) to "me me me". And what was it about? People he's never met and never will meet could think him the sort of person who might go on holiday with me. Zounds. Surely that's the wrong question? Why would I trouble myself letting someone like him tag along? Yet I did! =))

And then to cap it all, once Surfcrest like the reluctant bride was dragged kicking and screaming to the altar of an amendment to the Posting Guidelines (the "Sook" Amendment), after protesting (multiple times) "It's not about kommentariat" in his "me me me" thread, a447 turned it around and it became "all about kommentariat" culminating in this classic piece of complete humourlessness:

Satirical posts by one poster about another without his permission should be banned
You couldn't make it up

[Nirish guy]

You couldn't make it up

And yet apparently you do - LOTS !

So, just for clarification did you go on holiday with A447 or not then, he states not and you still seem to be claiming that you did so obviously one of you is lying - is it you ?

[francois]

Remember that this is a Forum where very, very few of us know each other in day-to-day life, in the flesh. =))


I know at least 6 members on this Forum; not a lot but hope to meet some more as time and our paths cross.

You couldn't make it up

And yet apparently you do - LOTS !

So, just for clarification did you go on holiday with A447 or not then, he states not and you still seem to be claiming that you did so obviously one of you is lying - is it you ?
John 18:38

[Nirish guy]

What is truth ....in this case I imagine it's quite simple - even though you seem to be having some problem with giving just a straight answer to the straight forward, simple question of "so did you go on holiday with A447 as you claimed or not" - it's really not that difficult a question to answer I would have thought ?

[Smiles]

" ... culminating in this classic piece of complete humourlessness:

"Satirical posts by one poster about another without his permission should be banned"
I do agree with that. The 'Jon Stewart' world view (i.e. AKA the Cosmic Giggle) died here on Sawatdee with that one unfortunate sentence.

What is truth ....in this case I imagine it's quite simple - even though you seem to be having some problem with giving just a straight answer to the straight forward, simple question of "so did you go on holiday with A447 as you claimed or not" - it's really not that difficult a question to answer I would have thought ?
Life is full of disappointments don't you find?

[a447]

Kommie, I think you must be asking the question in the thread title whilst looking in the mirror. You, of all people,asking about narcissism!

I mean, who else on the forum would create a thread with the grandiose title "Personal announcement"?

And look at your OP here.

The first paragraph is all about you trying to explain the reason for your mundane post about a girl waiting for a lift. It's to get you of the hook. When others laugh at you, you always defend yourself by saying the post was just a joke. It's always a "joke" after the fact.

You go on to tell us that you practise Dadaism (who cares?), you don't take yourself seriously (lol), you're only interested in having fun (who cares what you're interested in?).

Yep, it's all about you.

Why else would you make so many posts here, day after day? You want to be noticed. You want members to read about your opinions - on every topic under the sun.

Why else would you spend your time chasing me all over the forum every day? Those posts are not really about me - they're all about you. They are about you trying to make yourself feel better after being so publicly humiliated back in December. Remember this?

http://sawatdeenetwork.com/forum/post295333.html?hilit=%20one%20of%20these%20days#p 295333

You still haven't gotten over it!

And let's not forget your determination to have us believe you're a university professor....lol. The only reason you mentioned that is to boost your ever-increasing ego. Yep, it's all about you again. Look at me! I'm a university professor and you're not!

But then, neither are you. You posted that you were recently a visiting professor at the University of Queensland. However, a quick check of their website shows that is a lie. Over the past 18 months they've had many visiting processors from overseas. Unfortunately for your story, none was from the UK.

So, will that story now be another "joke" after the fact? Lol

You once attributed a very witty comment to yourself by not using quotation marks. It was all about you - you trying to look witty and knowledgeable. Remember? A university professor who doesn't know how to use quotation marks and is unaware of the rules regarding referencing source materials. How.....odd.

And I can't see why you'd be bemoaning the disappearance of satire on this board. According to the definitions of satire posted on this board by Fountainhall, your trip reports didn't fit the definition! Apparently, you don't know what satire is! Yourof all people! A university professor! Fancy that!

If I were you, I'd have a quick word in the ear of your "literary colleague" and admonish him for leaving you hanging out to dry on the issue!

Lol

A truly incisive post by Jonah. I must read it sometime.

[a447]

If you've come to the conclusion that it is "truly incisive" then yes, perhaps you should.

Lol

Doubtless more intellectual treasures from Jason that I can get around to one day

[Nirish guy]

What is truth ....in this case I imagine it's quite simple - even though you seem to be having some problem with giving just a straight answer to the straight forward, simple question of "so did you go on holiday with A447 as you claimed or not" - it's really not that difficult a question to answer I would have thought ?
Life is full of disappointments don't you find?


So, that's a no then. Ok, glad we cleared that up then.

[a447]

Doubtless more intellectual treasures from Jason that I can get around to one day

No, Kommie. I'm Jonah. Remember?

Can't get your fantasies straight!

And what does "that I can get around to one day " mean?

What the fuck are you on?

Very un-professor like!

You're not getting rattled, are you?

Lol

Note to self: should I subscribe to the RSS feed for Everything Else too? Otherwise make a date to read Jonah's breathless prose. February 29 seems a good date. If 2016 is too soon there's always 2020.

[quote="Nirish guy":qtnsha2r]What is truth ....in this case I imagine it's quite simple - even though you seem to be having some problem with giving just a straight answer to the straight forward, simple question of "so did you go on holiday with A447 as you claimed or not" - it's really not that difficult a question to answer I would have thought ?
Life is full of disappointments don't you find?So, that's a no then. Ok, glad we cleared that up then.[/quote:qtnsha2r]
Tut tut NIrish, putting words in people's mouths again? I did like your rationale for why two thirds of the Irish electorate failed to vote - very creative.

[Nirish guy]

Well as the marriage equality referendum resulted in sixth highest turnout out of any of the 22 referendums previously held in the history of the Irish Republic I think we can safely assume those who wished their voices to be heard were and those who couldn't care less either way just went on about their business as normal.

However when the result is placed against the backdrop of Catholic church rallying their members to turn out in resounding numbers to vote an emphatic NO then I believe my view was a reasonable assumption to make.

Either way there is one thing of which there is no doubt and that is that the Cathoilc church WERE well and truly beaten and whether or not that was a result of people simply going out and voting yes or turn simply not going out to vote no (ie against the instructions / orders / threats from their priests and bishops) the outcome was the same - a massive two fingers to the Church whatever way you look at it, which is I believe what I said in my original post, but of course you know that already.

You're equating a failure to vote with giving two fingers to the Church without any evidence - wishful thinking if ever I saw it

Had I been eligible to vote I wouldn't have voted either, and as you know I'm opposed to the whole concept - if people want to vote for that sort of nonsense, let them, but I don't give a damn

I never realised a447 had some many aliases. Now he's Dick
[attachment=0:1ih1ijyr]dt150607.jpg[/attachment:1ih1ijyr]

[Nirish guy]

You're equating a failure to vote with giving two fingers to the Church without any evidence - wishful thinking if ever I saw it

I disagree as when taken in the context of Ireland being a Country where when the Church say jump people normally ask how high I do see it that when the church clearly and repeated said you must go out and vote no to this terrible thing then people didn't in such large numbers ( as you point out) I do feel that it was a clear signal of either their lack of interest in the overall subject ( doubtful as most people had an opinion on the matter one way or the other here and were quite vocal about it) OR they simple thought " ah screw you church, I'm NOT going out to vote no, go fuck yourself, I couldn't care less / I disagree with your stand on the issue".

Of course you're right that's just my view and there is no evidence to back up that view - except the actual non vote turn out itself. Out of interest then what if not my view would you put the non turn out down to, just a simple lack of interest in the overall issue then perhaps?

[scottish-guy]

....I disagree as when taken in the context of Ireland being a Country ....

Now, I'm not one to stir things up (much) - but that's another can of worms right there!

During the first Scottish Independence referendum (see what I did there? :ymdevil: ), the UK Govt told us that Scotland was "extinguished" in 1707, and assumed into an "enlarged and renamed England"! *

So, I fear the UK Govt would regard N Ireland and Wales as having even less of a claim to be a "Country", but having said that, you're on safe ground punting your claim to Kommie as he's continually proved himself to be a complete tit on anything that he hasn't read in either the Daily Torygraph or the Daily Heil.

:ymparty:


*http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/state-extinguished-by-1707-treaty.20178521

[Nirish guy]

We're talking about Southern Ireland here of course which the last time I checked even the UK government accepted was a fully bonafide Country.

Out of interest then what if not my view would you put the non turn out down to, just a simple lack of interest in the overall issue then perhaps?Any number of possibilities - boredom with the Chattering Classes' latest fad, a lack of the "What's In It For Me" factor, a sense of "it's going to get up any way so why bother" (or perhaps I'm just projecting my own reasons).

You may be interested in reading what the lesbian journalist Helen Razer writes (http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/same-sex-marriage-why-are-we-all-banging-on-about-it/). Essentially the Australians have made marriage irrelevant for everyone, but especially gay people. That's where every country should be heading in my opinion, and proves that it can be done if politicians want answers that aren't just superficial - "Oh, let them marry and that will solve the problem and we can get on with the things that matter". There's an article I've seen from a same sex lobby group in Australia giving reasons for gay marriage. Only one of them is of a practical nature: there's fewer evidentiary requirements where someone is married, as a de facto relationship needs to prove (minimal) longevity, but only in certain edge cases. Beyond that its entire thrust is "It's not fair (boo hoo)" and what a socially desirable outcome marriage is for the entire population. When I ask my Australian friends for three reasons why they want to get married it's the boo-hoo reason alone that they can come up with.

Narcissism again, you see. But issues of adultery become irrelevant under the Australian model until "marriage equality" comes along.

[scottish-guy]

We're talking about Southern Ireland here of course which the last time I checked even the UK government accepted was a fully bonafide Country.

Dammit - I'll get the bugger sometime! :))