There are about a gazillion knitters on Ravelry now. Recently, a thread started in the Namaste Farms group about ego...selfishness...narcissism. I was surprised by how many people agreed with me that we need to step back a bit from loving ourselves -- just for being us -- and maybe be a little bit more objective.When I grew up, talking about how wonderful you (thought you) were was called bragging. It wasn't considered polite.
But things changed and my children's generation were taught that they were wonderful merely for existing. That's what prompts the lament by many exasperated HR people, "They expect a trophy just for showing up."
I don't know what started this excess of self-esteem. Maybe the hippy-dippy 60s when we all decided we were cool. But I do know where it's gotten us. Our kids are scoring low in maths and sciences compared to students in other Western countries. But when it comes to self-confidence, well, they're top of the chart.
There is a discrepancy between ability and self-esteem.
This is why you see moronic Reality TV shows that celebrate horrific behavior. Bridezilla immediately comes to mind. Sure, it might be funny to watch those girls/women/she monsters. But heck...how would you like to live with one? It would be a nightmare.
These are people who think they deserve everything. They don't have to actually earn it. They live lives of immediate self-gratification. In other words, they're hollow shells with only the facade of humanity. They are what they buy.
"I am my Prada shoes."
"I am my Louis Vuitton purse."
"I am my Cartier watch."
How about it if we started to recognize people for actually doing something?
Natalie Redding started Namaste Farms and developed her own line of yarns. Hurray for Natalie!!!
Iris Schreier wanted to spend more time with her family so she created Artyarns. Congratulations, Iris, on recognizing what really matters!!!
My young pal Evan Citron quit his job in media sales and went back to school to become a lawyer. Great job, Evan!!! Now you can realize your dream of helping people achieve justice.
These are all just regular people who have dedicated themselves to doing something good...something that really matters. You probably know a lot of people like I do. Silent heroes who do what's right and who never expect applause. These are the people who deserve it.
Please post your thanks to regular people who deserve to be recognized for something they've actually done. Maybe they created a beautiful painting. Or wrote a poem. Or took dinner to a sick friend. Something that was done from the heart.
I think it would do us all good to read about others who know there's more to life than shopping and drowning in self immersion.
4 comments:
HERE HERE!!! Kids don't want to even ATTEMPT anything unless they are guaranteed a win. I don't applaud my boys for every little thing they do. Some people tell me I am damaging their fragile egos. I always tell those people "I'm not damaging their ego, I'm only inflating it when it deserves inflating! To do otherwise is damaging."
This really resonates with me. It seems like people are rewarded for bad behavior every day. This generation expects a lot without much effort because they DESERVE it. Whenever I hear this, I cringe as I was raised to believe that I deserved nothing that I was not willing to work hard for.
What a great post! I would thank Troy Yocum, who served in Iraq and is walking across the country and back to raise $$ for military families!
I have to say that I saw my first episode of The Hills the other day and sat there thinking is this for real! We need to get back to some common sense!
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