Q. 'Cultural narcissism' & personal responsibility

Hi Richard. I hope this isn't too controversial a question, but I would like to know what you think about the idea that narcissism can be cultural. My ex-narc was from a place where corruption, violence and adultery is fairly common practice and many people (particularly those with less wealth) have to know how to hustle to survive.

I'm not sure if I should name the place, but I had a person from there explain to me, "Look, I don't know how you have been raised, but I come from *insert country*, from a town where if you are not a criminal you are a victim. My family is lucky that i never took that road, i never touch drugs or steal, but my friends used to in front of me all the day. When you grow up like this you will have a lot of fist fight, it is good to have when you are kid, because you will understand that sometimes you take them, sometimes you give! But if you never had a fight, than you became adult, and you will have your first fight at 35, not only the damage will be much worst, it will be traumatic because you never experienced."

Do you think there's validity to this logic? If narcissism is cultivated culturally, does that therefore lessen the narcissist's responsibility?

Thank you (and thanks as always for your invaluable work on NPD.)