fascinating social treatise
First of all, let me just say that I read this book several years ago, so it's not fresh in my memory, but when looking at some of the one star reviews here, I couldn't help but laugh at how some people can be so biased against a book that seemed to have offended them. I'll put it this way: if you need binoculars to see halfway to sociopolitical middle, you will be offended. This is absolutely NOT a one star book. It's well-written, insightful, and poinient--and I'm saying that as someone who considers himself left of center. I never at any time felt like I was being condescended to, as some of the reviews suggest. This is a good book, and you will look at our culture a little differently after having read it. I should also point at that a similar title on the growing trend of narcissism was written by a psychologist by the name of Jeanne Tweng, which came out at the same time this book did. Her book is a little more sour grapes, but it's a very good read as well.