Self-Esteem

I read a really interesting article today about the self-esteem of young people today. Turns out the self-esteem agenda may have resulted in an over-inflated self-opinion for the next generation. With all the "proper psychological buzzwords, we won't use the word arrogant. It's just that young people today have the idea that they are above the average standard, by about 80%, which of course is a mathematical impossibility. This generation that grew up in one parent households has a really distorted view of self-worth all the way around and have grown up with the idea that they truly do exceed the standard of average. Oddly, the research in this particular article compared the young people of 2006 with the youth of the 70's. I say oddly, but I guess I do know a number of people that are about my age that have kids that are just now at the threshold of adulthood. My daughter, on the other hand is already over 30, and I think she is at the leading edge of realizing an over valued self-esteem is highly over-rated, and clearly not what is needed on the job market! I find her quite amusing as she evaluates herself, weaknesses or strengths in the job market and security for the 21st Century. Of course I'm her mother, but I think she's got a pretty level perspective of what she aspires and what she can actually attain. She wants what her grandparents achieved. She wants to go for the gold, work alot of hours and achieve "comfortable." I've noticed the next group of young people, and they are just barely younger than she is, but still raised in single boomer households also have a college degree, but a lifetime of excuses and reasons to not apply. They would rather just be comfortable in their "if only" "would-a, could'a, should'a been" under achievements. And then there are the young people from 16-25 that truly believe they are all going to be stars, and if not stars, at least famous. This is the generation in which many jobs will be beneath them. So, I guess, fortunately for them, there won't be that many jobs, anyway. And fortunately for nearly 80%them, according to the poll, they know they should hold out for the high profile, high income positions of affluence.
What have we done? I know, as a boomer, I simply experienced parenthood from the knee jerk reaction perspective, and unfortunately passed that along. When I was growing up, we the young people of the 70's had just missed everything. My parents had the freedom which they flaunted regularly of being young people with working moms in the 50's. And the oldest boomers were already irritating everyone . . . what with political rights and constitutional freedoms! My parents told me I could do anything I set my mind to, but I only remember that being said when I had failed or not met the standard they expected. Could be I don't remember it accurately, but that is irrelevant, in hindsight, as that is what I based my perspective upon, as I raised the next generation to embrace self-esteem and love freedom. I think, however; a generation or a people truly only desire freedom and reach and strive to accomplish, if self-esteem is not nurtured in hollow encouragement and excuses, or becomes a foregone conclusion based on empty praise.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. a Proverb of Holy Scripture