"Were a narcissism epidemic truly striking the United States, we ought to be seeing signs of it, but we're not. . . . Rates of teen pregnancy, substance abuse, smoking, and dropping out of high school are all down . . . more high-school students are taking difficult courses like calculus and advanced science. . . . And, as far as selfishness goes, evidence suggests that young people are engaged in community service and other civic activities more than before."
Perhaps, but I'm not sure how things like smoking rates reflect narcissism. Ditto for taking calculus. Plus, how much of that civic involvement is in aid of college application fodder? And how much is required by schools?
