The stories of Anders Behring Breivik and Lance Armstrong may seem to have little in common, but each shows the consequences of the epidemic of narcissism that marks our age. Our lives no longer centre on social and family groups, but have become highly individualistic. We are primed for narcissism by consumer culture, changing family dynamics and growing inequality. A society full of people who are self-obsessed, have a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others is not going to be a happy place. It’s time we looked at the sources of this epidemic and how it can be stopped.Anne Manne is an Australian writer and social commentator. She is the author of Motherhood: How should we care for our children?, So This is Life: Scenes from a country childhood and soon to be published The Life of I: The new culture of narcissism.

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