Within the United States, both income inequality and an alarming trend of anti intellectualism has become the modern norm. According to Winston Churchill, “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”. This comical expression poses a compelling summation of the modern American political landscape, as evidenced by the most recent election. While midterm elections happen frequently, the majority of Americans abstain. At the same time, Americans wonder and complain about one of the worst Congresses in all of American history. Robert Thurman’s “Wisdom”, Jean Twenge’s “An Army of One: Me”, and Joseph Stiglitz’s “Rent Seeking and the Making of an Unequal Society” all show how the conception of the self
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They exhibit how Americans have devolved into materialists. Unfortunately, the current definition of success in the contemporary United States focuses on the acquisition of tangible goods and wealth. The American Dream was associated with the promise of a bountiful life for immigrants and their descendants with the only caveat being that hard work was necessary to achieve it. In the modern day, the American Dream reflects the narcissistic personalities of the upcoming generation. According to Twenge, “It doesn't do much good to encourage a child to feel good about himself just to feel good; this doesn't mean anything” (Twenge 502). Although Twenge does not ponder economics in her essay, the underlying concepts of her ideas parallel those of Stiglitz. Just as children do not benefit themselves or the world around them by receiving undeserved praise, letting wealthy individuals control a disproportionately large share of the wealth in America does not ameliorate society. In addition, instilling narcissism within youth through public school serves as a detriment to society because the incentives to do so do not align with the incentives of the public as a whole. Since policy makers encourage teachers to undeservingly implant a gross amount of self confidence in students, and since a society of narcissists is worse off than a society of selfless individuals, government must use its power to realign the incentives of policy makers with society as a whole. Stiglitz comments on such situations when he states that when "government does its job well, the returns received by, say, a worker or an investor are in fact equal to the benefits to society that his actions contribute" (Stiglitz 397). In the case of education policy makers, their implementation of policies that encourage narcissism benefit themselves more than it costs society because American
They exhibit how Americans have devolved into materialists. Unfortunately, the current definition of success in the contemporary United States focuses on the acquisition of tangible goods and wealth. The American Dream was associated with the promise of a bountiful life for immigrants and their descendants with the only caveat being that hard work was necessary to achieve it. In the modern day, the American Dream reflects the narcissistic personalities of the upcoming generation. According to Twenge, “It doesn't do much good to encourage a child to feel good about himself just to feel good; this doesn't mean anything” (Twenge 502). Although Twenge does not ponder economics in her essay, the underlying concepts of her ideas parallel those of Stiglitz. Just as children do not benefit themselves or the world around them by receiving undeserved praise, letting wealthy individuals control a disproportionately large share of the wealth in America does not ameliorate society. In addition, instilling narcissism within youth through public school serves as a detriment to society because the incentives to do so do not align with the incentives of the public as a whole. Since policy makers encourage teachers to undeservingly implant a gross amount of self confidence in students, and since a society of narcissists is worse off than a society of selfless individuals, government must use its power to realign the incentives of policy makers with society as a whole. Stiglitz comments on such situations when he states that when "government does its job well, the returns received by, say, a worker or an investor are in fact equal to the benefits to society that his actions contribute" (Stiglitz 397). In the case of education policy makers, their implementation of policies that encourage narcissism benefit themselves more than it costs society because American