[Recording Start]
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: I’ve been pondering this topic recently. We’re discussing what some psychologists term an “era of narcissism.” Back in 2016, we explored this in our article, “Super Empowered,” focusing on how societal attitudes were shifting towards more egocentric behaviors. Now, it seems that those exhibiting grandiose, self-entitled traits have gained even more influence.
Rick Rosner: Yes, we did touch on that five years ago.
Jacobsen: Indeed, and since then, with Trump’s election, the empowerment of such individuals has only intensified.
Rosner: To put things in perspective, consider the population of Germany and its surrounding regions at the start of World War II, about 83 million. This figure is merely a quarter of the current U.S. population. The proportion of Nazis in Germany then, compared to potential fascists in the U.S. now, is alarming.
Jacobsen: That is a significant number.
Rosner: It’s concerning, especially when considering the number of American extremists compared to those in Nazi Germany. If a quarter of the German population were staunch Nazis, that’s around 20 million people. In America today, we might have twice that number with extremist views. The difference, though, is that these Americans aren’t engaging in the same level of violence as the Nazis did, although some do express harmful sentiments online. Moreover, American extremism isn’t limited to one ideology – it’s more diverse.
Jacobsen: This trend seems to have escalated in the last five years.
Rosner: Yes, and Trump’s presidency played a significant role. He became a figurehead for such attitudes at a time when social media amplified these voices. We previously discussed the influence of reality TV in promoting certain behaviors, but now, social media has taken over that role, allowing individuals to express extreme views without direct confrontation.
Jacobsen: The growth of fringe social media platforms has also contributed to this.
Rosner: Precisely. These platforms lack the content moderation of mainstream sites, enabling more extreme discourse. As for Trump, his influence remains strong, mainly due to the substantial financial support he continues to receive. Despite losing the popular vote and facing numerous controversies, he remains a prominent figure, largely because of the financial benefits and ego boost he derives from his political activities.
Jacobsen: And what about the broader implications of this trend?
Rosner: Currently, this loud narcissism in America is heavily intertwined with politics and the COVID-19 pandemic. If voter protection laws are passed, the political landscape might shift, reducing the influence of extreme ideologies. However, the right-wing media, another major factor in this equation, shows no signs of diminishing.
Jacobsen: So, this trend of amplified self-presentation and extreme views isn’t likely to subside?Rosner: It doesn’t seem so. The current cultural and technological landscape facilitates these behaviors. History shows that such attitudes have always been present in American society, but now they are more visible and widespread due to social media. While some of these issues may eventually lessen in intensity, it’s likely that a segment of the population will continue to harbor and express extreme views.
[Recording End]
Authors
Rick Rosner
American Television Writer
Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Founder, In-Sight Publishing
In-Sight Publishing
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In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.rickrosner.org.
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Rick Rosner 