Romania's New Mandatory Narcissism Law: Schools Now Require Selfie Portfolios for Graduation, Critics Warn of Societal Collapse.
In a move that has ignited a firestorm of controversy, the Romanian Ministry of Education has quietly passed an executive order mandating that all high school seniors must submit a curated "selfie portfolio" as a prerequisite for graduation. The official justification, citing the need for "digital self-literacy and personal branding," has been met with outrage from moral critics who see this as the final nail in the coffin for authentic human connection. "We are systematically teaching children that their worth is measured in likes and filtered images," warns Dr. Elena Popescu, a prominent Romanian ethicist. "This isn't education; it's the institutionalization of vanity. We are breeding a generation incapable of introspection, turning our schools into factories for narcissism. The very fabric of our society is unraveling, replaced by a hollow, curated reality." The regulation, which goes into effect next semester, has already sparked protests from parent groups who decry the state's "pathological obsession with self-image" and fear it will deepen the already alarming mental health crisis among Romanian youth.