By Kristin Dombek, from The Selfishness of Others, a monograph that was published this month by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Dombek is the recipient of a 2013 Rona Jaffe award.
We know the new selfishness when we see it. It’s in the laughter of the Atlanta girl who, on the reality show My Super Sweet 16, demanded that the city’s busiest avenue be shut down for her arrival. It’s in her answer to the party planner when he pointed out the traffic — “My sweet sixteen is more important than wherever they have to be” — and in her shrug when…
