The man who destroyed America’s ego — Matter — Medium

The man who destroyed America’s ego — Matter — Medium

The movement’s U.S. origins are surely no coincidence. Self-esteem fits perfectly over the top of the traditional ideal of the free and noble individual, striving to achieve the American dream. The movement’s sin was making it sound easy. It removed the part about striving, replacing it with an unearned assumption of exceptionalism. The lesson became that simply wanting it is enough. You’re special. You deserve it.

I was not brought up in this kind of system at all, but rather where the teachers were extremely cutting and sarcastic, as well as occasionally physically violent, from Grade 1. Therefore American modes of measurement are not at all useful to me.