Instapundit.com picks up on a favorite table talk subject.
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN has an article on exploding the self-esteem myth. Bottom line: "Boosting people's sense of self-worth has become a national preoccupation. Yet surprisingly, research shows that such efforts are of little value in fostering academic progress or preventing undesirable behavior." This isn't a big surprise. The Insta-Wife has noted for years that inflated self-esteem is often associated with negative behavior among teenagers, while teens with low self-esteem often behave well. (Here's a chapter from her book that discusses some of those issues.)
I suppose that we did not need Scientific American to tell us that plaudits for no accomplishment generates scorn, not esteem. But it is always nice to have common sense verified by big brains.
