Unhappy narcissists — that’s what Dennis Prager called Americans on his radio program today. He said we are becoming a “marriageless, childless culture of unhappy narcissists.” He went on to say that “unhappy narcissist” is most likely a redundant term. He was referring to the United States going the way of Europe to our detriment, and, of course, to the idea that one who is always looking inward will never be at peace.

I must admit that I have noticed this trend all around me. So many people in my social sphere seem to have as their entire life focus the pursuit of fun rather than the pursuit of deeper meaning or accomplishment.  Play seems to have become more valuable in their eyes than work. A day at Disneyland is more fulfilling than a day at church, a quiet day with family, or a day of learning.  Rather than a job being something that one enjoys, it is now merely a means of acquiring the amount of wealth necessary to entertain one’s self, a task which becomes more and more difficult as the stakes are raised.

It is so easy to fall into this kind of thinking in our culture, so easy to say, “My spouse, my job, my life are not good enough for me.” I see it in myself on a daily basis. I do not make enough money. I am so burdened with responsibility. I am unsuccessful. When will I get what I want? I pick up a good book; I pick up “The Good Book”; I pet my dog; I hug my children; and I try not to nag to my husband about every little thing. I hope that I will someday learn to look outward more than I look inward. I do not want to be an unhappy narcissist.