Narcissism.

Mirror, mirror on the wall....who's the fairest one of all???

Much to my disgust I want the mirror to reply "YOU! You Zara are the fairest maiden in all the land, famed is your beauty and none shall surpass it" ... I spend too much time looking at my reflection. Spoons, rear vision mirrors, shop windows, peoples sunglasses, water in toilet bowls...if it will display my mug I'll be looking. And while it is unlikely I will be punished to falling in love with my own reflection like Narcissus in Greek Mythology or be inspired to become a model after catching my reflection in a spoon, narcissism is certainly not a healthy characteristic to have.

According to wikipedia narcissism describes the trait of excessive self-love based on self-image or ego. My penchant for gazing at my reflection is not so much on the 'excessive self-love' side of things, but rather the fact that I have to keep rechecking that, yes, what once was one eyebrow is now two.

Generation Y (those born circa 1979 to 1990, depending on what source you believe) is viewed as synonymous with narcissism. I recently saw a comment that stated 'Gen Y make me sick' on a link a friend posted on facebook to an article on an aspect of narcissism. This made me think, well...about.....me and how I fill the typical 'Gen Y' profile...

I found the following statement in an article titled the 'A - Z of Generation Y' on the Herald Sun website... (click here to read the whole article)

"THEY'RE hip, smart-talking, brash and sometimes seem to suffer from an overdose of self esteem. And if there's a generalisation to be made about young Generation Y people, it's that they don't like waiting...they are ambitious, demanding and apparently born to rule. Right now!.....They are generally socially aware, and tolerant and accepting of cultural differences.....They are the most technology-fluent, multi-tasking, adaptable and team-oriented group in history.....They either want their work to "make a difference" or feel work "makes no difference" at all"

Yes, Generation Y may be a group of narcissistic, over zealous, self indulgent, consumeristic, impatient twits (or twitters) glued to their laptops with their ipod in one ear and bluetooth in the other. But they are also pioneers in terms of social justice, bridging the gap between cultures, genders and social standings, striving to make the world a better place (even if it is just to make the world a better place for themselves!).

Like any generation, Generation Y has its positives and negatives. I certainly fit some characteristics of stereotypical Gen Y profile....and other ones I do not. However, I am completely aware of my lack of self-awareness and probably do fulfil more the characteristics than I like to believe. Either way, I get defensive when society criticises Gen Y...isn't it society itself which shapes and moulds the generations in the first instance?

How does God fit into this???? Narcissism does not parallel at all with the life Jesus calls us to live....living humbly and serving others without intention of personal gain or recognition. Philippians 2:14-16 in the Message translation of the Bible states:

Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.

The New International version puts it like this....

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life— in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing.

A crooked and depraved generation...a squalid and polluted society....pretty accurate description if you ask me. Whether it be Gen Y, Gen X, the Baby Boomers or any other generation before that...each generation is and has been crooked and depraved, searching for God amongst all of the junk, the rubble that we create. Jesus came and brought life and freedom.

So while I might be a Gen Y'r in theory (and to some extent, in practice)....the generation I really desire to belong to is God's. A generation which lives a life of freedom, walking in grace, overflowing with mercy, serving without attitude or expectation, living uncorrupted amongst the corruption and shining like stars in the universe.