Positive Self-regard and Self-knowledge.

In today's blog I want to discuss my "flashing light-bulb" revelation, in my last blog, that the circulating of the meme that, "we only use ten percent of our potential" at any given time, in the '60's, evolved into the, "Human Potential Movement."

A "meme," according to the dictionary is, "A cultural item that is transmitted by repetition in a manner analogous to the biological transmission of genes." Or, to use a computer analogy, it acts like a computer virus that, once it enters the Belief System of a community, it changes things. The actual validity of a popular interpretation, of an original concept, has no bearing on its power.

To digress: Victor Hugo wrote, "Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come." (Wikiquote) In the mid '70's, when I was writing down my ideas, I re-wrote this to, "Nothing can stop an idea which matches the prejudice of the times." Thus the meme, "Survival of the Fittest," met up with the era of Capitalism, and, like a new virus, exploded in the Western Culture. It, likewise, had nothing to do with Darwin's original theories. This is the way of the meme.

So, in my last blog, I ruminated on how this self-esteem meme had transmogrified into the child-psychologists pushing the idea of how it was important to give little children self-esteem, through positive feedback for everything they did. Thus, this meme merged with the Skinnerian concept, "that giving positive reinforcement is superior to punishment in altering behavior." (Wikipedia)

For those involved in the "Human Potential Movement," encouraging self-esteem in adults was an effort to counteract all the negative programming that could be observed all around them. I have been trying to do the same thing in this blog, as I consider myself to be part of this Movement.

In actuality, positive esteem for the self, (self-confidence) arises naturally out of knowledge of ones own genuine accomplishments and abilities, which have been gained and tested through life experiences.

In the "olden" days, prior to the Industrial Revolution, individuals, from a young age, began to contribute to the social group; they did this by beginning to learn the kinds of things that adults did every day to survive. The better you became at these tasks and/or specialties, the more esteem with which you were held by other people in your community. Thus, elders were held in the highest esteem of all.

This social state all broke down with the introduction of machines and mass production. Individuals were turned into "workers" who were in service to the machines. Old people, no longer able to be in-service to the machines, were considered dispensable. Little wonder the loss of self-esteem experienced by the vast majority of individuals, who were not valued in the least by the Masters of Industry.

Only those individuals and groups, who refused to fit in to this concept of Mass Production, retained pride in their abilities and knowledge of craft. Other than the small, family farmers, only they and the artisans in the community maintained their independence from this new way of producing for the growing masses. Since these ones had to, for the most part, "struggle to survive" they were no longer valued, by the community at large. The power of this meme in action.

My Bachelors Degree is from a Competence-based College. This College was intended for those adults who had picked up Credits here and there; hadn't completed degrees; had attended other, vocational-type, schools; or had gained competence's by doing various activities, through work or otherwise. This College would allow them to gain the "piece of paper," (a Diploma) that would help them to advance in life.

In order to obtain a Degree from the University of Minnesota, one had to establish ones competence in a number of areas of ones choosing, with at least one Competence to the highest level. The levels were: Knows; Knows and Can Apply; Knows, Can Apply, and can Supervise, and Knows, Can Apply, Can Supervise, and Can Teach. The first Competence you had to establish was the ability to design and supply evidence to show you deserved to be given a Degree of your choosing.

After having done this, in order to get life credits toward a Degree, you had to supply evidence that you were competent at one, or any of, those levels. This evidence was evaluated by those considered professionals in the various endeavors. One could also take offered course work, which would give you a competence at the lowest level. The Minnesota Legislator who managed to manifest this College, still growing today, was asked, "How can you have confidence in these people, to give them Degrees"? (paraphrase) His response was, "I know they can stay out of jail."

Vast numbers of individuals in this country have many competence's, in many areas, that they are totally unaware of, and/or devalue, because no one in a position of authority has certified it. Awareness of ones competence in one or more areas will result in "positive self-esteem." Having received the esteem of others for your knowledge and or abilities, adds to one's self-esteem. Modesty in ones achievements only adds to the esteem of you in the eyes of others.

Unfortunately, vast numbers, also, of others are walking around puffed up with self-importance who have no reason at all for their positive self-evaluations. Many of these come to the attention of the public, because of their having been "dis-respected," ("dised") by another person.

Gross examples of this "entitlement" to public esteem are all the "famous" people we can read about in Magazines and Newspapers' "Celebrity" Columns. Mostly, one can read about their bad behavior and habits, as well as their undeserved power to influence the (young) public. Oh, and we must not forget their wealth, very important, as well as their famous parentage, both very important in the eyes of the general public, it appears.

This blog is an effort to encourage you to begin to look at your own life, and do a review of those things that, perhaps, you can do, and are, perhaps, competent at doing, as well as how well you are able to function in life, and give yourself credit for those things. Also, it is an effort to encourage you to pursue your interests to the point that you are competent in them, at least to the "Knows" degree.

So, I end this blog.

Shirley Gallup