Young people crave self-esteem above sex: study

[Guest guest]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_students_selfesteem

Young people crave self-esteem above sex: study

By Bernd Debusmann Jr Bernd Debusmann Jr – Tue Jan 11, 2:13 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Young people crave boosts to their self-esteem more than

sex and money, according to a new study.

Researchers from Ohio State University and Brookhaven National Laboratory in

Upton, New York found that college students rated receiving compliments, or

doing well on a test, above such pleasurable activities such as sex, receiving a

paycheck, seeing a friend, or eating their favorite food.

Brad Bushman, a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State

University, said the findings should raise red flags about the role of

self-esteem in society.

" It wouldn't be correct to say that the study participants were addicted to

self-esteem, " said Bushman, who headed the research team. " But they were closer

to being addicted to self-esteem than they were to being addicted to any other

activity we studied. "

He said he and his team were shocked by the findings.

" We purposely chose things that we thought college students love. Most of the

participants were around 19. College students love drinking, they love sex. They

are poor; they love money and getting a paycheck. "

But experiences that boosted self-esteem trumped all other rewards, according to

the study.

Bushman said the findings, which are published online by the Journal of

Personality, suggest that many young people may be a little too focused on

pumping up their self-esteem.

" I think that people are looking for a quick fix to complex problems, " he

explained. " We see it as a cure-all to every social ill, from teen pregnancy to

violence. People think that if only we feel better about ourselves, these things

would not happen. "

The students rated activities both on how much they liked them, and how much

they wanted them. The results showed they liked pleasant activities more than

they wanted them, which is healthy, according to Bushman. But the difference

between liking and wanting self-esteem was the narrowest.

" The liking-wanting distinction has occupied an important place in addiction

research, " said Moeller, of Brookhaven National Laboratory and a co-author

of the study. " But we believe it has great potential to inform other areas of

psychology as well. "

Bushman added that there is a fine line between self-esteem and narcissism. Over

the top self-esteem becomes narcissism.

(Reporting by Bernd Debusmann Jr., editing by Reaney)

[Guest guest]

Why are they surprised? The public school system itself has been peddling self-esteem as the prime virtue for decades now though much more so over the last decade. Naturally they seek approval from their peers. That's what they have been trained to do. If that means binge drinking and promiscuity, then so be it.

This has also had the effect of training a generation of two to seek their happiness from outside themselves, to seek happiness from others rather than from within themselves.

In a message dated 1/12/2011 12:29:05 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

Young people crave self-esteem above sex: study

[Guest guest]

Why are they surprised? The public school system itself has been peddling self-esteem as the prime virtue for decades now though much more so over the last decade. Naturally they seek approval from their peers. That's what they have been trained to do. If that means binge drinking and promiscuity, then so be it.

This has also had the effect of training a generation of two to seek their happiness from outside themselves, to seek happiness from others rather than from within themselves.

In a message dated 1/12/2011 12:29:05 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

Young people crave self-esteem above sex: study

[Guest guest]

The ironic thing about schools trying the " Push Self-Esteem " is

that so many teachers and so much of their policies seem bent on crushing

the last specks of self-esteem out of those who are the most in need of

it. Being a shy loner that " marches to his own drummer "

type, in my experience, is the signal to the system to go out of there

way to demean that individual's self image and personal worth...

Ender

At 01:46 AM 1/12/2011, you wrote:

Why are they surprised? The public school system itself has

been peddling self-esteem as the prime virtue for decades now though much

more so over the last decade. Naturally they seek approval from their

peers. That's what they have been trained to do. If that means binge

drinking and promiscuity, then so be it.

This has also had the effect of training a generation of two to seek

their happiness from outside themselves, to seek happiness from others

rather than from within themselves.

In a message dated 1/12/2011 12:29:05 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

no_reply writes:

Young people crave self-esteem above sex:

study

[Guest guest]

The ironic thing about schools trying the " Push Self-Esteem " is

that so many teachers and so much of their policies seem bent on crushing

the last specks of self-esteem out of those who are the most in need of

it. Being a shy loner that " marches to his own drummer "

type, in my experience, is the signal to the system to go out of there

way to demean that individual's self image and personal worth...

Ender

At 01:46 AM 1/12/2011, you wrote:

Why are they surprised? The public school system itself has

been peddling self-esteem as the prime virtue for decades now though much

more so over the last decade. Naturally they seek approval from their

peers. That's what they have been trained to do. If that means binge

drinking and promiscuity, then so be it.

This has also had the effect of training a generation of two to seek

their happiness from outside themselves, to seek happiness from others

rather than from within themselves.

In a message dated 1/12/2011 12:29:05 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

no_reply writes:

Young people crave self-esteem above sex:

study

[Guest guest]

Mr. Wiggin, please take care not to destroy a civilization with the

Dr. Device.

The ironic thing about schools trying the "Push

Self-Esteem" is

that so many teachers and so much of their policies seem

bent on crushing

the last specks of self-esteem out of those who are the

most in need of

it. Being a shy loner that "marches to his own drummer"

type, in my experience, is the signal to the system to go

out of there

way to demean that individual's self image and personal

worth...

Ender

At 01:46 AM 1/12/2011, you wrote:

Why are they surprised? The public school

system itself has

been peddling self-esteem as the prime virtue for

decades now though much

more so over the last decade. Naturally they seek

approval from their

peers. That's what they have been trained to do. If that

means binge

drinking and promiscuity, then so be it.

This has also had the effect of training a generation of

two to seek

their happiness from outside themselves, to seek

happiness from others

rather than from within themselves.

In a message dated 1/12/2011 12:29:05 A.M. Eastern

Standard Time,

no_reply writes:

Young people crave

self-esteem above sex:

study

[Guest guest]

You're right about that. Some of that kind of kid are trouble, but many others have learning disabilities or other issues that should instead be addressed. Some of those kids might simply be fast learners who are bored out of their minds with the glacial pace of the classes, the constant repetition, and seemingly pointless discipline that was frequently meted out with more than a little favoritism by the teachers and staff. You're right also that the system typically responds by trying to crush those students directly and by allowing the favored students leeway to bully and exclude said students.

The ironic thing about schools trying the "Push Self-Esteem" is that so many teachers and so much of their policies seem bent on crushing the last specks of self-esteem out of those who are the most in need of it. Being a shy loner that "marches to his own drummer" type, in my experience, is the signal to the system to go out of there way to demean that individual's self image and personal worth...Ender

[Guest guest]

You're right about that. Some of that kind of kid are trouble, but many others have learning disabilities or other issues that should instead be addressed. Some of those kids might simply be fast learners who are bored out of their minds with the glacial pace of the classes, the constant repetition, and seemingly pointless discipline that was frequently meted out with more than a little favoritism by the teachers and staff. You're right also that the system typically responds by trying to crush those students directly and by allowing the favored students leeway to bully and exclude said students.

The ironic thing about schools trying the "Push Self-Esteem" is that so many teachers and so much of their policies seem bent on crushing the last specks of self-esteem out of those who are the most in need of it. Being a shy loner that "marches to his own drummer" type, in my experience, is the signal to the system to go out of there way to demean that individual's self image and personal worth...Ender

[Guest guest]

There are also kids that are have asymmetric capabilities.

There was an assistant principal at my high school that was known

for being stricter in enforcing the dress code with some kids. I

remember her giving a disciplinary referral to one girl for having

her hair tinted subtly green on the tips. A minute later, she walked

past the principal, who complimented her on her hair.

I wonder, why do people get so concerned about sex? I mean, I do not

think one should have to remain chaste until marriage (that is a

personal decision), and I do have a sexuality, but it seems a bit

over hyped. Since I am a transsexual woman, I have seen naked guys

in the locker room (they are strangely cavalier about nudity), but I

have not thought anything sexual about it. What I want a lot more

than sex is to have someone give/receive affection.

You're right about that. Some of that kind of kid are

trouble, but many others have learning disabilities or

other issues that should instead be addressed. Some of

those kids might simply be fast learners who are bored out

of their minds with the glacial pace of the classes, the

constant repetition, and seemingly pointless discipline

that was frequently meted out with more than a little

favoritism by the teachers and staff. You're right also

that the system typically responds by trying to crush

those students directly and by allowing the favored

students leeway to bully and exclude said students.

In a message dated 1/12/2011 12:43:51 P.M. Eastern

Standard Time, enderwiggin52@... writes:

The ironic thing about schools trying the

"Push Self-Esteem" is that so many teachers and so much

of their policies seem bent on crushing the last specks

of self-esteem out of those who are the most in need of

it. Being a shy loner that "marches to his own drummer"

type, in my experience, is the signal to the system to

go out of there way to demean that individual's self

image and personal worth...

Ender