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Self acceptance or self esteem - in memory of Dr Albert Ellis : Comments
By Giulio Bortolozzo, published 26/7/2012The problem with self esteem is that it is based on the sometimes ephemeral opinions of others.
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'Self-esteem is the greatest sickness known to man or woman because it's conditional.'
He was on to something here, people learning to esteem themselves according to how others viewed them or how well they did at tasks was the order of the day. "I'm good because so and so said I am or I am clever because my teacher said I was. Aren't I good girl?"
The author defined self-esteem in a particular way to support Ellis’ assertion. However, self-esteem need not be defined in the way that the author defined it. It may be defined as confidence in oneself which is not dependent on the opinion of others. I think Albert Ellis was on to nothing.
I think hatred of the other because the other is defined as different in some way is the greatest sickness known to humans. It defines religious, national, racial and cultural hatred.