Narcissism becomes epidemic, new book argues

Move over obesity, America’s next epidemic is all about me, me, me.

Social networking and celebrity role models have contributed to a spate in narcissism, according to a book released by two prominent psychologists in recent days.

“This goes way beyond college students. It’s a change in the whole culture,” said Jean Twenge, co-author of “The Narcissism Epidemic.”

The narcissism binge, Twenge writes, threatens to leave Americans with little capacity for charity or relationships and instead leaves them unattainable expectations that ultimately leads to unhappiness.

Narcissism first gained traction on a wide scale in the 1970s with the self-esteem movement. But the Internet made the hunt for fame a more universal obsession in America and other media-savvy nations like Japan, psychologists said.

A national sample of more than 35,000 Americans found that 6 percent had suffered from extreme narcissism at some point of their lives, according to a study published last year by the National Institute of Health. In addition, one out of four college students showed signs of narcissism in 2006, according to a national study of 37,000 students conducted by the book’s authors.

And the rise and fall of self-important figures like Eliot Spitzer, Alex Rodriguez and John Edwards demonstrates that narcissism isn’t limited to the young, the book states.

Robert Galinsky, founder of the New York Reality TV School, said that unscripted programming has given talented strivers unprecedented outlets. Still, he acknowledged that more than half of his students are driven by a shortsighted obsession with stardom.

“They say, ‘I’m so interesting, funny and wild, there should be show about me,’” Galinsky said.

So what say you?  Have we entered into an era where narcissism is the new "in" thing?  Know anybody who you consider to one?  And is caring about ones looks really being a "narcissist"?