Here, Debate This!
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From the late 1970s to the early 1990s Americans assumed as a matter of course that students' self-esteem acted as a critical factor in the grades that they earn in school, in their relationships with their peers, and in their later success in life. Given this assumption, many American groups created programs which aimed to increase the self-esteem of students, assuming that grades would increase, conflicts would decrease, and that this would lead to happier and more successful lives. Until the 1990s little peer-reviewed and controlled research took place on this topic.
The concept of self-improvement has gone dramatic change since 1911, when Ambrose Bierce mockingly defined self-esteem as "an erroneous appraisement" Good and bad character are now known as "personality differences" Right have replaced responsibilities. Research on egocentrism and ethnocentrism that informed discussion of human growth and development in the mid-20th century is ignored; indeed the terms themselves are considered politically incorrect. A revolution has taken place in the vocabulary of self. Words that imply responsibility or accountability--self-criticism, self-denial, delf-discipline, self-control, self-effacement, self-mastery, self-reproach and self-sacrifice--are no longer in fashion. The language most in favor is that which exalts the self--self-expression, self-assertion, self-indulgence, self-realization, self-approval, self-acceptance and the ever-popular and ubiquitous self-esteem.
Peer-reviewed research undertaken since the early 1990's has NOT validated the previous assumptions regarding the intrinsic value of self-esteem, and in fact has indicated that inflating students' self-esteem in and of itself has no positive effect on grades and can indeed decrease grades as the students' focus shifts from productivity to perception.
Comments:
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This is something that has driven me crazy for so long! What is it with every freakin kid getting a blue ribbon or trophy at an event? Why even work hard and try to WIN when you are going to get a reward for just showing up. Sorry kids, life doesn't work that way! You don't get an blue ribbon just for being born, nope, ya gotta work for it. You have inspired my journal for the day. Oh, and Fist and Anus, I betcha 10 bucks this won't make to the top 10, people don't want to actually THINK on CM, they just want drama! I voted popular for ya though! |
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I always thought the whole "Self Esteem Movement" was ridiculous. Self Esteem comes from our self and not from someone who makes life easy for us. Most people I have met who claim to have Self Esteem Issues acutally have inflated self esteem- which is what kids have these days b/c people are afraid to 'damage' their self esteem. |
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LIz, Do me a huge favor and post this on Lilith? |
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I agree with the SexyOne on this... I remember when we actually had to try out for a team, wait anxiously to see if you made the team, endure the "cuts" and actually have to listen to a coach tell you the reason why you'd been cut. Your strengths vs. your weaknesses and where you needed to improve and then try out again next time. Did it suck? Oh yeah, but it also built character because it made you focus on where you needed to improve. And, eventually, if you just weren't good enough to be a cheerleader/softball player/field hockey player/whatever, it gave you the opportunity to focus on other areas of interest and gave you the ability to find what YOU are good at. These days, there's no such thing! Competition has been given a bad aura...competition is a good thing, not a bad thing and, I seriously think, this is the reason so many (not all, but most) kids today think the world owes them something, they've never truly had to WORK at earning the privilege of being on a team or winning an award. |
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Focusing one oneself is not necessarily a detrimental factor to one's education. Perseverating on oneself to the exclusion of all else most definitely is. At that point, the person's education is not the only thing suffering. If said person were the only egocentric member of their peer group, I daresay that the behavior would change, and quickly. However, because of this large shift in social opinion regarding the importance of the individual's self-esteem, we have a whole generation (and more likely 2 or 3 generations) which have had instilled into their psyche the notion that the individual's sense of themselves is just as important as their physical survival. I wonder, if taken to an extreme, if that notion of individual emotional entitlement would be detrimental to the physical survival of that person. Hmmm... Anyway, my opinion on the matter is that everyone has a sob story. Sob stories are what give people character. No one has the right to be free from being offended, emotionally scarred, or otherwise experienced in this lark we call life. Life is hard - wear a helmet. |
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When I was on the neighborhood swim team, we'd all get little "participant" trophies, and then they'd pass out the real trophies. Believe me, holding that little trophy that EVERYONE ELSE was holding a replica of was NEVER an ego-boost. It's a dumb idea, and it doesn't even accomplish what they're hoping for. Waste of money. |
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Yeah, making sure "no child was left behind" and removing effort-oriented distinctions have developed an entire generation of teens that feel "entitled" to success. Another good post Fist! I thought when i read the title that you were posting your mother's day photo! LOL Please do it! It's so funny! |
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Damn it, #8
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I think the sense of entitlement and arrogance that kids have today reflects our entire foreign policy. We be americans--we rule, you drool. |
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This is a very interesting subject. i have always tried to instill self esteem in my kids without giving them a sense of entitlement. I don't believe self esteem itself is detrimental and can be a boost and cause kids to be more successful at school and in other areas of their lives. it is the sense of entitlement that can wreak havoc. No one likes a person who feels that they are entitled to privileges and things that others aren't. This can cause confusion for the child 'I thought I was perfect - why doesn't anyone like me?' And ultimately cause self esteem to be lowered. Okay, those are my two cents. I have no data to back it up, it's just the way I feel. |
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