Why main character syndrome is philosophically dangerous | Aeon Essays

The author argues that main character syndrome, a tendency to see oneself as the star of a life story with everyone else as background figures, is morally dangerous because it undermines the relational and interdependent nature of human identity. Lindemann's view that some narratives cause moral damage is cited to support treating MCS narratives as harmful, isolating and amoral. The essay points to social media, films such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, and an audience-seeking culture as sources of the phenomenon, with Michael G Wetter and Ashley Ward quoted on its causes and appeal.