Wired Mesh

Narcissism 101

OK, kids, today's class topic is Narcissism and the Fragmentation of 21st Century Society. I assume all of you have done your assigned reading: David Brooks' essay "Superiority Complex," on the democratization of snobbery. Can someone summarize this piece for us? Yes, Ryan?

Well said. You're right, Brooks does argue that "everybody can be a snob, because everybody can look down from the heights of his mountaintop at those millions of poor saps who are less accomplished in the field of, say, skateboard jumping, or who are total poseurs when it comes to financial instruments, or who are sadly backward when it comes to social awareness or the salvation of their own souls." He says that the success of American society has allowed thousands of little interest-based communities to emerge, each with its own high potentate, who feels very good about himself.

Sit down, Josiah. No, you can't go to the bathroom right now.

Now class, today we have two guest speakers who will illustrate how this trend has practical effects on our own lives. First we have Village Voice music critic Robert Christgau, who will argue that for years now, indie rockers and their Pitchfork breathren have inflated their own importance in the musical canon, effectively erasing the last 50 years of pop history. He says that "what was once alternative rock is now an alternate universe—a universe where no one listens to Mozart or Miles and any aesthete who dabbles in song form challenges Lennon-McCartney. Poised for takeover? What's to take over? Indie stars are already masters of all they survey." Please give a warm welcome to Mr. Christgau.

Thank you, Mr. Christgau. Good to see you giving the hipsters what for. Please take a seat over by the fish tank. Now, we also have with us today Romanian poet Andrei Codrescu, an NPR commentator who would like to talk to us about blogs. Good to have you with us, Mr. Codrescu. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

What's that now? Are you suggesting that blogging communities are focused on the ego gratification of the blogmaster? That we have no more perspective than the indie rock critics who think Grandaddy is the new Coltrane? That we are also searching for people to affirm our significance? That our work is an impermanant as a spider's web, and as small? Well, I don't think my class likes that, Mr. Codrescu. And we think your accent is funny, don't we, class? You can go home now, sir. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Well. I've think we've all learned an important lesson today. This cultural criticism thing is lots of fun, until some spoilsport comes in and starts criticizing you. That person is no fun at all. Don't any of you be that nasty person. That's all for today.

Yes, Josiah, you can have a hall pass now.

Posted by mesh at December 11, 2003 02:53 PM | TrackBack