Age of entitlement

It hasn't been officially declared, but we all know how slowly things move when the government is involved.

Americans (not to mention the rest of the world's population) are stressing over home foreclosures, unemployment, soaring credit card debt and, if they're anything like me, an occasional case of the Mondays.

How did we get to this point?

According to economists with Kiplinger's, it began with cheap money -- interest rates -- which ignited a sharp rise in home values. Credit was offered to those who normally didn't qualify, and "financial magicians" bought and sold loans with the assumption home and other loans would be repaid. When consumers defaulted and home prices tipped downward, a chain reaction was set off.

And so, here we are.

After consumers spent years spending and borrowing way too much money, they have suddenly realized living beyond their means was a bad idea.

My (unsubstantiated) theory is that it can all be traced back to... narcissism.

People felt they deserved to buy a big, beautiful house because they worked hard. And the shiny new Volvo parked in the heated, three-car garage? They earned that, too, for being good. Never mind the fact that they work for minimum wage. Forget the details like needing to pay back school loans and monthly bills or putting money into retirement or savings for emergencies. After all, why not get a Gucci purse or Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses you're so obviously entitled to have (on credit, of course).

I, too, had issues with this right after college. I bought a brand-spanking-new sofa/loveseat set when I started my first professional job and spent the next year paying it -- and some lingering credit card debt from school -- off, one meager month at a time.

Playing the part of a member of what Tom Brokaw calls the "Greatest Generation," what the heck is the matter with kids these days?

Ironically, I read a story last week that looked into trends in narcissism from the 1980s to the present. The data was collected from 37,000 college students and specifically pointed out that narcissistic personality traits rose just as fast as obesity did. Huh.

And despite an obvious sense of entitlement, reportedly high levels of confidence and assertive behaviors that border on snotty, "Generation Me" is more miserable than ever before.

Is it because they've finally realized they can't have absolutely everything they want exactly when they want it?

In the offhand chance you, too, have begun feeling sorry for either being part of or guilty of raising a child of the self-absorbed generation, there is an upside to this plight.

True narcissists can cure their blues with just one glance in the mirror.

Caroline Rusk is a staff writer for the Dickinson County News. She may be reached at caroline@dickinsoncountynews.com.