My kids when going through junior high were immersed in the self-esteem movement (they survived fortunately). The Principal laid the groundwork: no competitive sports (too hard on the ego to lose); no grades (too hard to be ranked against others); ego stoking (constant reminders of “how special” the kids are). The high school was different. As one teacher said, “If these kids can’t write in my English class, it’s sure gonna bruise those poor egos of theirs when they get their grade.”
Apparently now the self-esteem movement is passé. Now the approach is to quit taking ourselves so seriously, self-indifference. As the essay in Aeon notes, “Maybe the most compassionate attitude you can take toward yourself is to stop obsessing over yourself. This is the great relief of self-indifference, especially for those of us raised in the self-esteem movement. The truth is that you aren’t that big of a deal. And isn’t that great?”