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Aug 10, 2008
"Nothing profits more than self-esteem, grounded on what is just and right." --John Milton
Are We Feeling Too Good About Ourselves?
Self-esteem has become a tenet of the psychological canon and is so ingrained in popular wisdom and parenting techniques as to seem like natural law: The higher a person's self-esteem, the happier, more productive, and more mentally healthy that person will be. Psychologist Jean M. Twenge cites a fascinating statistic. In the 1950s, just 12 percent of teens age fourteen to sixteen agreed with the statement "I am an important person." Yet by the late 1980s, an incredible 80 percent of teens agreed with it. But in 2005, Florida State University professor Roy Baumeister published a report in Scientific American in which he found that boosting self-esteem artificially appears to actually lower performance, contrary to popular belief. This article offers a thoughtful reflection on self-esteem, and how to return it to balance in our lives and culture.
BE THE CHANGE
Reflect on your own self-esteem and if needed, make an effort to return it to balance.
