The master's thesis seeks to shed light on some elements in society and its history that have contributed to the rise of narcissism. The Enlightenment ideal of the individual as a free and rational man represented a major turning point in the development of individualism and, together with the development of humanistic psychology, offered man the goal of self-actualization, but today we are witnessing a corrupted form of primary desire for growth which prefers quantity over quality. The rise of the ideal of authenticity, which conceals the relativization of values, leads to narcissism under the mask of personal growth and robs the narcissist of his abilityfor empathic relationships, emotional strength, and inner freedom. The author points out various areas in which the rise of the narcissistic attitude is reflected and points out that the reason for its rise cannot be attributed to one specific event. Among the more important factors is the permissiveness of authority, which can be traced in education and business relations as well as in general therapeutic orientation. The development of technology, which places the burden of social perfectionism on the individual by enabling constant exposure to the individual, has also led to an increased level of depression, anxiety and suicide. The author highlights reality shows, social media and selfie photography as some of the main means that greatly influence the rise of egoism. The culture of authenticity hides moral concerns behind the mask of social achievement, as the narcissistic attitude not only breaks down interpersonal relationships, but also influences growing contempt for fellow human beings. The key question here is where does this kind of action take us, and can an individualistic society successfully overcome the more difficult obstacles it must face as a whole?
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