ah Brianna, you have a wide vision for understanding the human condition.
Dana,I heard this kind of story a year ago. I think it was a news program where the commentator was talking about how we have not taught our kids how to fail or some such thing that leaned toward narcissism.
Ignoring the fact I was bristling at the idea this is a problem from America I highlighted 'narcissitic pupils' then googled it for results. I wanted to find the article I heard a year ago.
I found articles on the subject from 2007,2004 and speculations from child specialists from 1989.
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive.../distinct.html
So I only confirmed what I already knew. I am boringly pragmatic and not from raw instinct and smarts as Brianna's seem to be. You amaze me sometimes Bri.
{edit}
I was wondering at the distinction between China's and India's high emphasis on excelling in school and why that does not make narcissists of them?
I am also wondering why this is a new idea in the U.K. What was the U.K. school body like before our narcisstic tendencies invaded their psyche's? (sp?)