an open question:

[sanguineaccord]

Prompted by my recent readings of Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead. I promise I will address her more fully later) and my continuing existential crisis (its called life apparently), I have a question to pose you:

Upon what is one's self worth/esteem predicated?

I am very curious to hear your responses.

Comments

[kinky_kneazle]

My first thought was that it is based on what's important to you. So, if money is important to you, and you have a lot of it, then you have high self-esteem. Or, in an example I just used with a friend, if killing people is important to you, and you kill lots of people, you have high self-esteem.

Then I thought that there are plenty of people who kill, or have lots of money, and they do that because of low self-esteem, even though money or murder is important to them.

Also, I don't think you can deny that other people affect your self-esteem. I can say "I don't care what you think" all I like, but if you tell me I'm ugly and stupid, it's still going to make me feel like less.

I'm having other thoughts but I'm feeling unable to articulate them at the moment. There may be a part two later, after I sleep on it.

Great question, by the way. You've allowed me to turn conversations to a new topic tonight, so thank you. I got some interesting responses... "self-esteem diminshes when someone achieves something I wanted to." That comment may help you :P

[sanguineaccord]

Indeed that is a thought provoking comment...

The issue that you AND Heyadria have presented, I think, is whether one has an internal or external locus of control and how that affects ones self worth.

[ for the illustration of external locus of control just read what god does to the egyptians in exodus...oh wait...thats LOCUSTS of control....my bad

but see what it did to the Egyptians self esteem!!! ]

great icon btw!

[kinky_kneazle]

Everyone likes that icon :)

Yes, the basic question is internal or external, and I think it may be different for everyone. I also had this thought today about childhood and how the way our parents treat us affect whether we have an external or internal locus of control. Then I decided it was all getting too psychological for me and went back to thinking about socks.

Those poor Egyptians. Moses totally killed their self-esteem.

[sanguineaccord]

It wasnt just Moses. Dont forget that pesky tribal pyromaniac god of his!

And yes...perhaps the vexed issue of odd sox can all be traced to where their locus of control lies....oooops I've been told to put a sock in it :(