Entire communities and cultures can be sullied and destroyed by narcissistic habits of those who live there. Symptoms of this in the general population include:
>Increased fatigue and decreased overall health in the general population.
>Larger imbalances in material wealth and success (very wealthy and very poor, less and less in the middle; the perception of "middle class" becomes skewed and is actually "wealthy", but goes unnoticed). >Decreased pride in one's work, one's occupation, the company one works for.
>Decreased morale overall, increased sense of hopelessness and bleak future.
>Common language that is peppered with insults, judgments, and derogatory references to race and gender.
>Decreased arts and science in the community, both in schools and in the general community; only artists, musicians and scientists who have gained obvious material success are treated with respect. (It's the material success, not the person, that is actually being treated with superficial respect.)
>Lack of basic courtesy, manners, and respect among the population; in the community, in the street, and in the home.
>Increased crime, both "white collar" and street crime.
>Increased substance use and abuse, and denial and defensiveness about it.
>Increased incompetence in all areas and fields
>Lack of responsibility toward children, one's own AND the children of OTHERS, and lack of comprehension about what children need to grow up in a healthy way.
>Increased belief in "ownership" of children, and of other adults.
>Increased competition, especially for image and "status"
>Increased belief that there is some kind of "natural social hierarchy" among adult humans beings.
>Lack of ability to think abstractly.
>Increased assumptions that one's perceptions are correct and do not need further information or examination.
>Inability to have conversations about politics, religion, or "right and wrong" with calm respect, friendship and civility.
>Inability to listen to or see from the Point of View of those not in one's own group.
>"Victim blame" is common, and even defended as if it's a virtue or a strength.
>Lack of support, encouragement, and genuine friendship.
>A lack of awareness about what is wrong with gossip, shame, blame, insults, and condescension.
>Defensiveness of blatant racism and sexism.
>Lack of remorse and normal guilt in the general population.
>Lack of healthy self-confidence in the general population, increase in pride and arrogance about superficial things.
>Increased manipulation behavior, entitlement behavior, and bullying.
Blaming individuals for the state of affairs is counter-productive. Those who are to blame are easily identified, it is any person in the community who denies any responsibility or contribution to the negative atmosphere. Denial and avoidance are the real enemies.
The cure is simple and complicated at the same time. The infection spread out from an original source point, and so the cure, so to speak, will also infiltrate through an original source point.
Whosoever puts an effort into objective observation of the community and of themselves, who takes accountability for their own behavior, prejudices, attitude, and contribution to the negative atmosphere; whosoever tries to change themselves from being a negative influence to a positive influence changes themselves from a virus to an antibody. From a disease to a cure. From a cloud that blocks the light to a bright flame. It doesn't start from the "top", or from other people, unless they happen to be individuals who desire to transform as well. It comes from within ourselves. The more lights there are, the better we can see, the less anxious and fatigued we are, the stronger we are, and the less darkness we live in.
>Increased fatigue and decreased overall health in the general population.
>Larger imbalances in material wealth and success (very wealthy and very poor, less and less in the middle; the perception of "middle class" becomes skewed and is actually "wealthy", but goes unnoticed). >Decreased pride in one's work, one's occupation, the company one works for.
>Decreased morale overall, increased sense of hopelessness and bleak future.
>Common language that is peppered with insults, judgments, and derogatory references to race and gender.
>Decreased arts and science in the community, both in schools and in the general community; only artists, musicians and scientists who have gained obvious material success are treated with respect. (It's the material success, not the person, that is actually being treated with superficial respect.)
>Lack of basic courtesy, manners, and respect among the population; in the community, in the street, and in the home.
>Increased crime, both "white collar" and street crime.
>Increased substance use and abuse, and denial and defensiveness about it.
>Increased incompetence in all areas and fields
>Lack of responsibility toward children, one's own AND the children of OTHERS, and lack of comprehension about what children need to grow up in a healthy way.
>Increased belief in "ownership" of children, and of other adults.
>Increased competition, especially for image and "status"
>Increased belief that there is some kind of "natural social hierarchy" among adult humans beings.
>Lack of ability to think abstractly.
>Increased assumptions that one's perceptions are correct and do not need further information or examination.
>Inability to have conversations about politics, religion, or "right and wrong" with calm respect, friendship and civility.
>Inability to listen to or see from the Point of View of those not in one's own group.
>"Victim blame" is common, and even defended as if it's a virtue or a strength.
>Lack of support, encouragement, and genuine friendship.
>A lack of awareness about what is wrong with gossip, shame, blame, insults, and condescension.
>Defensiveness of blatant racism and sexism.
>Lack of remorse and normal guilt in the general population.
>Lack of healthy self-confidence in the general population, increase in pride and arrogance about superficial things.
>Increased manipulation behavior, entitlement behavior, and bullying.
Blaming individuals for the state of affairs is counter-productive. Those who are to blame are easily identified, it is any person in the community who denies any responsibility or contribution to the negative atmosphere. Denial and avoidance are the real enemies.
The cure is simple and complicated at the same time. The infection spread out from an original source point, and so the cure, so to speak, will also infiltrate through an original source point.
Whosoever puts an effort into objective observation of the community and of themselves, who takes accountability for their own behavior, prejudices, attitude, and contribution to the negative atmosphere; whosoever tries to change themselves from being a negative influence to a positive influence changes themselves from a virus to an antibody. From a disease to a cure. From a cloud that blocks the light to a bright flame. It doesn't start from the "top", or from other people, unless they happen to be individuals who desire to transform as well. It comes from within ourselves. The more lights there are, the better we can see, the less anxious and fatigued we are, the stronger we are, and the less darkness we live in.
