Is self-esteem evil?

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I’m a psychologist and a Catholic and I tend to think that it is. Think about it: self-esteem is introverted and caters to the self. Contrast that with simple esteem that is directed outward instead if inward; for example, esteem towards life, esteem towards friends, and esteem toward religion. This is what it means to be a true extrovert.

Want emotionally stable individuals; promote high esteem as opposed to high self-esteem.

The media, of course, is extreme with self-esteem, and psychologists will tell you that self-esteem is very healthy and necessary for proper development. I say hogwash! In psychology, if someone is having problems, self-esteem is the first place psychologist look. Raise self-esteem and you will diminish negative behaviors. The problem is that we are addicted to self-esteem. Let something bad happen to self-esteem and look out, the individual crashes emotionally. Self-esteem leads to pride and other sins; esteem leads to love and other virtues.
*
“We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.” –Romans 6:6*

Any thoughts?
 
Isn’t it on Maslow’s hierarchical levels of basic needs? First we need air, then water, then shelter, then food… I believe self-esteem, or maybe there’s a better word for it, is up there somewhere. I think I know what you mean, though, and in that sense, I suppose you’re justified in questioning it as evil, though I think you’re talking about excessive self-esteem. Or are you talking about any amount of self-esteem?
 
I do tend to think that, the more one thinks about him or herself (in almost any context) the worse off one is. I.e. thinking about what others will think, how one looks physically compared to others, if one looks cool, if others will think one is a fool, etc. Then again, I think it a grevious sin to hate oneself, to think of oneself as worthless, etc. Christ came to die for you. To say you are worthless is almost a smack in the face.

What I try to do is a) not compare myself to anyone concerning anything. b) always try hard to be myself, regardless of what I think others will think (for fear is nothing more than undue love of self-image or worldly image). c) think of myself as little possible, avoid mirrors too long, etc.
 
ProVobis said:
Isn’t it on Maslow’s hierarchical levels of basic needs? First we need air, then water, then shelter, then food… I believe self-esteem, or maybe there’s a better word for it, is up there somewhere. I think I know what you mean, though, and in that sense, I suppose you’re justified in questioning it as evil, though I think you’re talking about excessive self-esteem. Or are you talking about any amount of self-esteem?
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Maslow says esteem, not self-esteem. Unlike most researchers, Maslow studied healthy people and found that they had high esteem.

I say any amount of self-esteem is negative compared to good esteem.
 
Robert_Sock said:
Maslow says esteem, not self-esteem. Unlike most researchers, Maslow studied healthy people and found that they had high esteem.

I say any amount of self-esteem is negative compared to good esteem.
Click to expand...
Esteem or self-esteem. Isn’t a certain amount of it, like pride, wanting to possess, etc., a motivational factor for good things as well as evil?
 
It seems to me that self-esteem is like most other aspects of our life. Moderation matters. Too little self esteem and you are at great risk for certain types of problems. One must a reasonable degree of confidence in one’s ability to do the right thing. If you think too little of your self, that you are unworthy, that you do not matter, you can be quite miserable. God does not want that for us.

Too much self esteem and you can quickly become arrogant and conceited, distainful of others who do not measure up to your standard. One should not be a legend in his own mind.

I recall the old joke: “I spend 8 hours a day here. You expect me to work too?”

Self Esteem should be tempered with Humility. For me, humility is realizing that the abilities I possess that make my life and career succeed are NOT MY achievement but rather God’s achievement in me. I try not to show off and act as a big I am. I try to remember that I am here to serve others as well as I can with the talents God has given me. I know I have those God given talents and am happy to be of service to others for the love of God.
 
If we did not esteem ourselves we would be unable to function at all; all actions - physical or mental require an esteem to elicit them.
 
Robert_Sock said:
I’m a psychologist and a Catholic and I tend to think that it is. Think about it: self-esteem is introverted and caters to the self. Contrast that with simple esteem that is directed outward instead if inward; for example, esteem towards life, esteem towards friends, and esteem toward religion. This is what it means to be a true extrovert.

Want emotionally stable individuals; promote high esteem as opposed to high self-esteem.

The media, of course, is extreme with self-esteem, and psychologists will tell you that self-esteem is very healthy and necessary for proper development. I say hogwash! In psychology, if someone is having problems, self-esteem is the first place psychologist look. Raise self-esteem and you will diminish negative behaviors. The problem is that we are addicted to self-esteem. Let something bad happen to self-esteem and look out, the individual crashes emotionally. Self-esteem leads to pride and other sins; esteem leads to love and other virtues.
*
“We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.” –Romans 6:6*

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I think healthy self-esteem is very important. Self esteem is not pride. Self esteem is trust in ones abilities and, more importantly, trust in one’s power to change things. People with low self esteem wil tolerate evil.

Pride is different - it is outward oriented. Pride is how you deal with other people. You can have a good self-esteem - trust in your abilities and still deal with other people without pride.
 
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