Jeff Russell

Don't say "I want to be more secure in myself", instead say "here's how my deeds stack up to an outside, measurable standard."

That sparked a good list of items for me, thank you!

Another thing that fosters self-centeredness in America is the way our neighborhoods are laid out and what is viewed as a good place to raise children. I had a childhood that was The American Dream(tm) but it was pretty nightmarish. The isolation of a child in a suburban home, unable to go anywhere on their own, leads to a deep loneliness. I tried having imaginary friends (Maybe zonking out in front of a screen is more common these days). "Of course my life is about me. I'm the only one who talks to me after I get home from school and my parents turn on the TV." That kind of thing.