Video-Book TV: “The Narcissism Epidemic” by Jean Twenge, 2009
www.booktv.org/Watch/10487/The+Narcissism+Epidemic+Living+in+the+Age+of+Entitlement.aspx
Narcissism, the cult of specialness, was said to be the ladder of success and yet leads to anti-social behavior, contempt for others, exploding inequality, doublespeak, and megalomania. Solipsism, the peak of narcissism, makes others disappear. The self becomes the only authority while others and the world are only a backdrop
Similarly, self-righteousness is the “grand delusion,” said theologian Eberhard Juengel. Persons become curved in themselves. Trust in oneself, others and God becomes impossible when lies replace truth, when cynicism replaces interdependence, when the super-rich steal trillions of taxpayer money and when the state becomes an errand boy for the rich.
Trickle-down economics is the horse-sparrow theory that the horse must be fed so the sparrow can live. This is discredited by history as well as the austerity myth. What is true for individual households can be untrue for the state. The state can contract debts to help the present and future generations. The state should fulfill the public interest and reduce poverty. Often the state is captive to special or private interests in privatization, deregulation, and liberalization of the markets (or speculation).
“When the state trust citizens, citizens trust the state,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Can we learn from O Canada as the Twitterer is forced to his room after two years of lies, vulgarities, crimes, broken promises, fear-mongering, doublespeak and scapegoating
The country and the planet depend on truth-telling, interdependence, and compromise, not on lies, tax fraud, profit shifting, tax havens
