So, apparently, wanting to see yourself in art is now a problem. Some coastal elite is clutching their pearls over this thing called 'literary narcissism' – which, if I'm understanding correctly, is just a fancy way of saying people like art more when it reminds them of themselves. Duh. Newsflash: People are self-centered. Always have been, always will be. This whole 'universal themes' thing is just a smokescreen for forcing people to consume garbage they don't relate to. Take Netflix's 'Lord of the Flies' reboot, for example. The author, bless their heart, admits to only caring about Piggy because of the bullying, glasses, brains, and being a fat kid. Okay, boomer. So what? At least they found something to connect with in that woke dumpster fire. I'm guessing the 'universal themes' of 'Lord of the Flies' are supposed to be about the inherent evil in mankind or whatever. Yeah, yeah, we get it. But let's be honest, nobody actually cares about that. People care about seeing themselves on screen, even if it's just a little bit. And the author, who admits to teaching kids to be 'literally self-centered' (good job!), is now worried that adults are using 'relevance' as the main metric for judging art? Cry me a river. Maybe, just maybe, people are tired of being told what's 'good' for them and want to actually enjoy the entertainment they consume. But the elites think you should appreciate art, because it’s art. They want you to sit down and shut up, while they tell you what it all means. Of course, this is coming from the same crowd that thinks everything needs to be 'diverse' and 'inclusive.' Which, let's be real, is just another way of saying 'boring' and 'preachy.' They want art to be a social justice lecture, not something you actually want to watch. If seeing yourself in art is 'narcissistic,' then I guess we're all narcissists now. And honestly? I'm okay with that. At least we're being honest about it. Let the elites have their 'universal themes.' I'll stick with the stories that actually resonate with me, even if it means I'm 'literally self-centered'. This whole thing is just another example of the cultural gatekeepers trying to control what we consume. They want to dictate what's 'good' and 'bad' art, and they're terrified that people are starting to make their own decisions. Well, tough luck. The internet has democratized art. We get to choose what we like, regardless of what the elites think. And if that means we're all a bunch of 'literary narcissists,' so be it. The author was too scared to say any of this on the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. Cowards. This is why no one trusts the mainstream media. They are afraid of the truth. The truth is that people like what they like, and nobody gets to tell them otherwise. So go ahead, enjoy your 'self-centered' art. You earned it.