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There is such a thing as having too much self-esteem.
I would like to have that problem, just as I would like to say, “I must have a high metabolism or something, because I just can’t seem to gain weight. Please pass the brownies.”
Jean Twenge, Associate Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, has just published a book called “Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled–and More Miserable Than Ever Before,” based on her research on the responses of 1.3 million young people. Twenge links the unrealistic expectations of what she calls Generation Me, anyone born in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s, with the increase in depression, anxiety, cynicism, and loneliness among American youth. She and her colleagues of the study claim that the narcissistic and self-centered attitudes of today’s college students are a threat not only to their personal relationships but also to American society.
“We need to stop endlessly repeating, ‘You’re special,’ and having children repeat that back,” said Twenge in an interview with the Associated Press. “Kids are self-centered enough already.”
Hm–maybe I shouldn’t be teaching Katherine and David to look into the mirror saying, “I’m good enough. I’m smart enough. And gosh darn it, people like me!” And we definitely shouldn’t do the same exercise but with a Generation Me twist: “I’m the best. My crap don’t stink. And if anyone thinks otherwise, well, they’re wrong and must need therapy, meds, and ‘Beyond Blue.’”
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Therese J. Borchard writes the daily blog, Beyond Blue, on Beliefnet and is a regular contributor to the award-winning blog, World of Psychology, on Psych Central. Therese is the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Kit. Subscribe to Beyond Blue, visit her website, or follow her on Twitter @thereseborchard.
Meet others on the journey in
Therese’s community group
Ask Therese to be your friend
Therese J. Borchard writes the daily blog, Beyond Blue, on Beliefnet and is a regular contributor to the award-winning blog, World of Psychology, on Psych Central. Therese is the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Kit. Subscribe to Beyond Blue, visit her website, or follow her on Twitter @thereseborchard.
posted March 8, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Therese – you continue to be my guardian angel – thank you! Here is an article about how allegedly promoting self esteem leads to kids failing to try: http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/index.html
posted June 29, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Your me, me, me is right. But because there parents were like that, can you blame the kids? If there parents were given everything, me me me, there kids, well some will work, some will not and live off the family, so why blame the kids? Dawn Gobidas Cleveland,
posted September 28, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I’m a high school teacher. I think your article needs to be taken very seriously. Parents want to blame teachers for their child’s failures. When is it the student’s responsibility?