Groups are made up of individuals. An individual must in great part conform to the group to be a part of it. So group dynamics impose pressures on individuals.

But individuals are not without agency. They have to power to shift and direct the dynamics of groups, either for good or bad. So individuals exert pressures on groups.

It’s a balancing act between individuals and society that must be constantly honed, examined for effect, and reinforced where needed.

And so you’re thinking is wrong headed. America will always teeter around trying to find a balance for itself as do all pleuralistic nations. The question is how do we move toward a balance of equity and how long can we hold the balance. We have the tools, we have the will in the majority, we have the strategy, we have the capability. We will find it. But we must be aware that we will likely always have to fight to hold the balance against external and internal forces.

Narcissism has little to do with it. Everyone exhibits some level of Narcissism by virtue of being self aware individuals. Narcissism as a clinical pathology is actually quite rare and its problematic to apply the term to whole societies. I do not believe that most Americans are Narcissists and certainly not pathologically narcissistic. The current President most certainly is though.