Product Description

What exactly is self-esteem? Most people, as well as many psychologists and educators, believe we need it, that it's good for our emotional well-being, and that it makes us more successful. World-renowned psychologist Albert Ellis says no, it's all a myth. According to Ellis, self-esteem is probably the greatest emotional disturbance known to humans. Self-esteem results in each of us praising ourselves when what we do is approved by others. But we also damn ourselves when we don't do well enough and others disapprove of us. What we need more than self-esteem, Ellis maintains, is self-acceptance! In "The Myth of Self-Esteem", Ellis provides a lively and insightful explanation of self-esteem and self-acceptance, examining the thinking of great religious teachers, philosophers, and psychologists, including Lao Tsu, Jesus, Spinoza, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Buber, Heidegger, Sartre, Tillich, DT Suzuki, the Dalai Lama, Carl Rogers, and Nathaniel Branden, among others. He then provides exercises for training oneself to change self-defeating habits to the healthy, positive approach of self-acceptance. These include specific thinking techniques as well as emotive and behavioural exercises. He concludes by stressing that unconditional self-acceptance is the basis for establishing healthy relationships with others, along with unconditional other-acceptance and a total philosophy of life anchored in unconditional life-acceptance.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #257495 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 344 pages

Customer Reviews

some qualifications
"Self-esteem results in each of us praising ourselves when what we do is approved by others. But we also damn ourselves when we don't do well enough and others disapprove of us."

this is based on a misguided understanding of what self-esteem is - it is precisely a description of aspects of low self-esteem where self-estimate is based on the opinion of others (social metaphysics). self-acceptance is one of the key aspects of self-esteem. see nathaniel branden's 6 pillars of self-esteem for an excellent exposition. self-acceptance is the second pillar after living consciously. the description in the synopsis above is a classic misrepresentation of what actual self-esteem (as opposed to pseudo self-esteem) is.

rational emotive behaviour therapy may be effective, but it's useful to understand that the myth that is described above is itself based on a myth of what true self-esteem is.