What do you think of the statement Almost every great religious and moral tradition throughout history has regarded any significant degree of self-love with grave suspicion ?
I'm reading a book presently which challenges the precepts or principles of much of the self-help genre, I'm not that far into the book as I am simultaneously reading a couple of others on similar themes but this struck as something I'd like to discuss a little.
Before getting to this point the author introduced two other authors and research indicating that contrary to some of the received or popular wisdom about low self-esteem producing delinquent, aggressive or bullying behaviour it was discovered that high self esteem was not liable to deter delinquency, that higher self-esteem is correlated with propensity for aggression and not the reverse, that bullies are often not hiding a secret shame about themselves with their behaviour.
Now he did use the example of dictators which I always think is a little exceptional, though the point that Saddam and Hitler didnt appear to be suffering from low self-esteem about themselves is probably safe enough.
Anyway, do you think this is a correct observation about religious and moral traditions? There is ample evidence for it in writings exorting to humility and humbling oneself after all. Also, if it should be correct, do you think it is a good or a bad thing? Understandably this may be highly coloured by your experiences of religious people and religious traditions, if so, could you say so? Does the caution about higher self esteem reflect what is a genuine insight about human nature or do you think that it is rooted in some sort of unconscious neuroticism?
I'm reading a book presently which challenges the precepts or principles of much of the self-help genre, I'm not that far into the book as I am simultaneously reading a couple of others on similar themes but this struck as something I'd like to discuss a little.
Before getting to this point the author introduced two other authors and research indicating that contrary to some of the received or popular wisdom about low self-esteem producing delinquent, aggressive or bullying behaviour it was discovered that high self esteem was not liable to deter delinquency, that higher self-esteem is correlated with propensity for aggression and not the reverse, that bullies are often not hiding a secret shame about themselves with their behaviour.
Now he did use the example of dictators which I always think is a little exceptional, though the point that Saddam and Hitler didnt appear to be suffering from low self-esteem about themselves is probably safe enough.
Anyway, do you think this is a correct observation about religious and moral traditions? There is ample evidence for it in writings exorting to humility and humbling oneself after all. Also, if it should be correct, do you think it is a good or a bad thing? Understandably this may be highly coloured by your experiences of religious people and religious traditions, if so, could you say so? Does the caution about higher self esteem reflect what is a genuine insight about human nature or do you think that it is rooted in some sort of unconscious neuroticism?