"Conversational narcissism is pervasive and rooted in our culture of individualism,

a pattern that leads to self-absorption ...

by the use of 'I' statements,

by boasting,

by the tactic of asking questions only in order to demonstrate the questioner's superior knowledge

or to top the other person's story with one's own,

and by continual shifting ...

The most frequently used written word in the language is 'the,'

but the most frequently spoken word is 'I.'"

(Tom Shachtman)