Remember that article about not praising your kids too much? Well don’t worry, you no longer have to concern yourself with trying to build up your child’s self-esteem. That’s what MySpace and YouTube are for.
Such websites do more than just allow kids to connect with like-minded kids. The truth is, they may be an important factor in that narcissism we’ve all been hearing so much about lately. (Read the article here)
And it makes sense. With just the click of a button kids can now promote and advertise themselves – posting pictures, videos, and commentary on everything from sports to fashion to, well, other kids. With Facebook more like a virtual yearbook than a networking site, MySpace turning into a public diary, and YouTube letting kids star in their own videos, the Internet is sending the message that “it’s all about you.”
Are sites like these causing kids to have inflated egos? It seems likely.
Sure, a healthy self-image is important for everyone, but the trend has become so pronounced lately that today’s youth are now being referred to as “Generation Me.”
Just search YouTube.com – there are hundreds of videos entitled “I am the best,” “I am the coolest, “I am awesome,” and so on. With such an easy way for kids and teens to self-promote, they are starting to let it get to their heads. It seems that while today’s kids are more confident, independent, and self-assured, they are unfortunately also feeling more entitled, egotistic, and self-centered. Which may conflict with certain messages we’ve been trying to send.
Parents have been so worried with online safety in recent years that this may be a development that was entirely overlooked. But more and more it seems that when it comes to sites like MySpace, security isn’t all we have to worry about.
Image: In These Times
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