The Myth of Self-Esteem: Finding Happiness and Solving Problems in America (Contemporary Social Issues) [Paperback]

John P. Hewitt (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 031213715X | ISBN-13: 978-0312137151 | Publication Date: November 1997 | Edition: 1

The Myth of Self-Esteem: Finding Happiness and Solving Problems in America by John P. Hewitt seeks to describe, interpret, and criticize the contemporary American fascination with self-esteem and its historical roots. Hewitt critically examines the concept of self-esteem as a cultural myth in the context of American societal values. The author provides a penetrating, sometimes amusing, look at how self-esteem is linked to the basic world-view of Americans.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This work presents a new, thought-provoking perspective on the concept of self-esteem and its effect on human behavior. For decades the idea that high self-esteem leads to individual happiness and solves social problems has been embraced by million of Americans. A scholar studying the subject of self and society, Hewitt (sociology, Univ. of Massachusetts) refutes this popular idea through a logical description, interpretation, and criticism of the self-esteem movement. At a time when various theorists are seriously questioning the importance of self-esteem, Hewitt's discourse offers a fresh view supported by convincing evidence. This excellent, well-documented book should be read by anyone interested in the psychology of self; highly recommended for both academic and large public libraries.?Elizabeth Goeters, DeKalb Coll. Lib., Dunwoody, Ga.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Worth Publishers; 1 edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031213715X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312137151
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,249,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Self-Esteem ans you have never "seen" it before, February 24, 2001

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A. I. Baruti KMT-Sisouvong "RadicalScholar" (Atlanta, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Myth of Self-Esteem: Finding Happiness and Solving Problems in America (Contemporary Social Issues) (Paperback)

The Myth of Self-Esteem, by author and social psychologist, John P. Hewitt, offers a dispassionate, although slightly spirited, discourse on self-esteem in American society. Hewitt begins by stating, "the object of this book is to unravel the assumptions that are built into the contemporary usage and understanding of the idea of self-esteem and to build a more complete picture of this phenomenon and the importance we attribute to it." He goes on to state of his subject, "to learn something about the reality of self-esteem, we must first consider it as a myth - a set of beliefs contemporary people hold about themselves and their social world, stories they tell about themselves and their lives." Through focusing on the cultural rather than scientific significance of this uniquely western/American phenomenon, Hewitt challenges our assumptions about how we achieve success in the midst of despair and how we use this non-universal, in one respect, concept to buttress our identity in our daily interactions.

Hewitt asks questions that cause one to wonder, "what exactly is meant when we say 'self-esteem'?" Do we mean what we intend, or have we fallen into the trap of engaging in empty dialogue without critically analyzing our intent. The Myth of Self-Esteem offers various vignettes that illustrate the varied ways not only that the term is used, but also its lack of solidity as to a definitional meaning. Also, given that many cultures around the globe focus more on humility as an admirable trait, how have Americans come to value two words that seemingly defy a single sufficient definition upon critical analysis?

Strengths and Weaknesses

Overall, the book is well written in that it provides the reader an opportunity to examine what is meant by "self-esteem" and the social structures that maintain such a myth.

The strength of Hewitt's argument comes from his ability to illustrate, via the use of vignettes, the imprecise nature of a definition among many of the term "self-esteem." However, the weakness, although delineated earlier in the work, is that he does not relay on "scientific" studies. Although he chose to focus solely on the cultural component of the created phenomenon, adding to the discourse the positions of scientific research would quite possibly shed additional light on the subject and make his already strong argument stronger.

What does it all mean?

Hewitt, has done an admirable job of presenting considerable information, although not scientific, that yield many questions regarding self-esteem. While reading the book, many questions arose in my mind as to how I have come view myself in relation to others and my surroundings. It soon became apparent that such is due in part to my acceptance of many of the present social structures and limited concepts that attempt to define them. Given that I have undergone a shifting of consciousness, as it relates to my surroundings and my role in the creation and sustaining thereof, many of the previously accepted concepts have begun to whither away. For instance, as a child and young adult, growing up in and attending church "religiously" was an accepted, although unquestioned, way of life. As a result of delving into ontology, my view on the nature of being has shifted to a differing perspective; one which is more inclusive as opposed to exclusive. Not necessarily, "better," just different. The end result is that I now think more critically about information that is presented to me, be it in literature or lectures. Given Hewitt's offering for discussing "self-esteem," many will be in a more advantageous position to recognize a portion of their being and its functioning that they may have not previously considered.

As humans prepare to move to the next phase of physiological/psychological evolution, such concepts as self-esteem must be challenged in order to provide a clean slate upon which to erect the forthcoming reality. Questioning the very essence of our beliefs and abilities and upon which such is based, causes many to have an even greater insight into their complete nature. In one instance, Hewitt eludes to the potential of creating individual realities by thought. In this instance, he touched on a key point that warrants further consideration. As humans come to realize that they possess the ability to create and destroy "worlds" by thought, the potential then exists to journey into realms of the "little known" and begin serious critical inquiry into the human essence and its "higher" potential. As this journey begins, the evolution not only of human conscious continues, but the physical evolution of humans continue as well. With this in mind, Hewitt's "Myth of Self-Esteem" is a wonderful addition to the ongoing discourse.

Note: the above is part of a work presented in a course on Deviant Behavior and Social Control.