Question for educators and similar: Can high self esteem lead to high self-importance?

Question

Do you think that younger people (say 12-25) almost instinctively expect attention, interest or notice from most if not all older people (say 35-55) (even if from complete strangers)?

If you do, then do you think this expectation derives from western culture's huge emphasis on instilling self-esteem into kids at any cost as they grow up?

Finally, if you agree with the above, then as older person OR younger person, do you find the assumption of interest and attention a little bit annoying?

Answer 1

Yes. We have what's called "An entitlement generation" on our hands. Young adults, it seems, expect everything to be given to them, including attention, with no responsibility on their part. Big problem.

Answer 2

I actually find the question annoying. You must be 25 or under by asking such a question. It is probably just normal for people of this age to crave extra attention. It's called immaturity. I'm sure that children in eastern culture crave extra attention and feel the need to be important as well. Kids are kids. Geeze.

Answer 3

True Self-ishness always leads to joy, because it is motivated always by
the desire to feel as good as possible. It is only when we are Self-ish
enough to be, do and act in accordance with our desires (not someone
else’s) that it is possible to stay balanced. Energetically speaking, a
desire is a rush of life force energy, a connection to the divine inner
self, which can never result in actions that are harmful. It is only
when true desires are blocked that they become twisted and ugly. This
statement goes against the common wisdom that human nature is greedy,
violent and primitive. Human nature is precisely the opposite: we are
born knowing ourselves as powerful, eternal, spiritual beings. Petty,
competitive, churlish and violent behavior must be
overcome with suitable practice. Observe your family, friends
and coworkers. Almost all of them are good people, trying to do the best
they can. It would simply not be possible to build a sophisticated
society if human nature was so base. All successful societies are based
upon cooperation, not competition. Competition works not because it is
adversarial, but because it inspires teamwork. Ask two angry guys to get
something constructive done, it is not going to happen. All
success is based upon cooperation. That is because we live in an
attraction based universe.

These natural impulses are supposed to be dangerous because they stem
from a primitive survival instinct. But human being has a bette mind
than animals. Just look around at the mess the world is in! But that is
a delusional assertion, a denial of the basic nature of consciousness
itself. The natural impulses of human nature stem from a connection to
life force, and it is resistance to this divine impulse which causes the
selfish behavior people object to.

If you observe people you will quickly see that those persons who are
most alive are full of desire, and those who look lifeless have little
or no desire. Desire = life force. Shut off desire = selfish behavior.
It's ironic that selfish behavior actually results from self-denial.

Human nature is not a primitive, biological instinct based on survival
of the fittest, it’s a pure connection to source energy. It is divine.
It's only when that connection is closed off that selfish behavior is
demonstrated. Every one of your desires is, in its non-resisted state,
joyful and balanced, because that is an inherent property of
consciousness itself. True selfishness is allowance of desire, without
resistance, and results in the impulse to give freely to others. But it
is first necessary to allow that impulse within yourself.

Answer 4

High self esteem to me means that you realize that you are a person of value.People that have high self esteem should also value others as being of value even if the person does not consider their value great. I guess , If you were to over estimate that value, you could hold yourself up to a position of high self importance. To really reach the full potential of having self esteem, a person must give of them self to others.