The "You Can Be What You Want To Be" Culture

We've already heard and read lot about the many side effects of Facebook and other social networking sites here here here.  And this was lucidly illuminated in Jean Twenge's book, Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled — and More Miserable Than Ever Before. In the said book, Twenge predicted that a new global community called "GenMe" or "Generation Me" is giving birth to individuals who are self-centered or too obsessed with appearance and material things. In effect, the focus is too much directed on the self.

Twenge, who is Associate Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, gives us hints how to identify these individuals and what their attitudes are like. With the me becoming the priority over the others, it is not surprising to find them saying - “As long as I believe in myself, I really do not care what others think.” Twenge has also earned degrees from the Universities of Chicago (B.A. and M.A.) and Michigan (Ph.D.).

As the whole book explains, the over-emphasis on the self than family members, friends, peers, colleagues, and random people have so many grave repercussions. There is shift in beliefs and modes in obeying authorities at work, school and homes. Even the act of expressing respect for other people is disregarded by GenMe culture.  These types of people have also grew tired of attending to religious practices. All these negative attributes, according to Twenge, stemmed from the key message that these new GenMe individuals profess: “You can be anything you want to be."

The chapter titles should be sufficient enough in giving what readers should expect from reading the book:

1. You Don’t Need Their Approval: The Decline of Social Rules
2. An Army of One: Me
3. You Can Be Anything You Want to Be
4. The Age of Anxiety (and Depression, and Loneliness): Generation Stressed
5. Yeah, Right: The Belief That There’s No Point in Trying
6. Sex: Generation Prude Meets Generation Crude
7. The Equality Revolution: Minorities, Women, and Gays and Lesbians
8. Apply Our Knowledge: The Future of Business and the Future of the Young

It is also the GenMe culture that is sometimes to blame for the continued rise of the cases of depression, alienation, scholastic and professional stress, and other increased self-esteem symptoms. 




The World Is Obsessed With Facebook from Alex Trimpe on Vimeo.

Though what is certain is that the figures about the use of Facebook may not dip a bit, it was not yet clear how much this would impact our society in general. Because with the prevalence of GenMe culture, people who would become too obsessed with the self or narcissists, and only thinks of the self as superior might increase in numbers. Thus, we only can expect the worst in the future.

Unless these new social beings of GenMe culture would find self-control as a virtue, we should expect less for real change to blossom.  Otherwise, the opposite is likely to happen: crime rates surging, suicide cases caused by depression, alienation and stress mounting, and more of the like.

These are alarming scenarios if only solutions are available this instant.  Only with institutional actions and everyone getting involved matched with political will, however, we can see changes and success. Though there may be groups now thinking about this impending social meltdown, their tribes need to increase and become more vocal in asserting their sentiments. 

Now, let's pause and ask ourselves: Are we over-sharing enough? Are we Facebook obsessed? Are we turning into GenMe creatures?

Now think. Think of good reasons if we are not. Think how much better the world would become if we are thinking before posting.