--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The promotion of \"self-esteem\" in our…" description: "\"The promotion of \"self-esteem\" in our schools has been so successful that people feel free to spout off about all sorts of things - and see no reason w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg" --- # The promotion of "self-esteem" in our schools has been so… ![“The promotion of "self-esteem" in our schools has been so successful that people feel free to spout off about all sorts of things - and see no reason why their opinions should not be taken as seriously as the views of people who actually know what they are talking about.” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg) > “The promotion of "self-esteem" in our schools has been so successful that people feel free to spout off about all sorts of things - and see no reason why their opinions should not be taken as seriously as the views of people who actually know what they are talking about.” [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overemphasis on self‑esteem can erode respect for expertise, leading people to treat uninformed opinions as equally valid. **In simple terms:** Excessive self‑esteem devalues expertise. Key Takeaway Encourage humility and critical thinking. Themes education self‑esteem expertise critical thinking Mood critical reflective Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - classroom discussions - online debates - media commentary - policy making Key Concepts Ego authority knowledge hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance confidence building with respect for expertise? - What mechanisms ensure informed opinions are valued? A Different Perspective May overlook the benefits of confidence for personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promotion/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-people/) ## Related quotes > [Recent decades clearly demonstrate that the more secular our Public Schools become the less successful they become academically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-barton/recent-decades-clearly-demonstrate-that-the-more-secular-our-public/) [David Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-barton/) > [Schools are successful only insofar as they reduce the dependence of a child's opportunities upon his social origins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/schools-are-successful-only-insofar-as-they-reduce-the-dependence-of/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [I can hardly think of an occasion when I've got into a stand-up fight with any political opponent. I've got my views, people know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-can-hardly-think-of-an-occasion-when-i-ve-got-into-a-stand-up-fight/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [In this room we're all here together, but there's probably a lot of different views, people sitting here thinking, I don't own any slaves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-cochran/in-this-room-we-re-all-here-together-but-there-s-probably-a-lot-of/) [Johnnie Cochran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-cochran/) > [God is always God, but the views which people and nations may take of him vary. No higher view is known than that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/god-is-always-god-but-the-views-which-people-and-nations-may-take-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I don't preach or try to impress my views upon people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raine-maida/i-don-t-preach-or-try-to-impress-my-views-upon-people/) [Raine Maida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raine-maida/) > [I have not tried to tell the people anything. I have shared my views with the people but I have not tried to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-giovanni/i-have-not-tried-to-tell-the-people-anything-i-have-shared-my-views/) [Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-giovanni/) > [Every kid comes to a point in his life, where you listen to your Dad, but then you go into the street and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-meadows/every-kid-comes-to-a-point-in-his-life-where-you-listen-to-your-dad/) [Shane Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-meadows/) > [Communists must listen attentively to the views of people outside the Party and let them have their say. 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I'll put up a million dollars vs. him because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-danis/i-really-want-to-go-against-ben-askren-we-should-do-a-cross-promotion/) [Dillon Danis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-danis/) > [I believe that those who promote discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or any other grounds are gravely mistaken about the values that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/i-believe-that-those-who-promote-discrimination-on-the-basis-of/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [No religion has mandated killing others as a requirement for its sustenance or promotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-religion-has-mandated-killing-others-as-a-requirement-for-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Thomas Sowell > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-you-have-always-believed-that-everyone-should-play-by-the-same/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“In 1962, Democratic President John F. Kennedy, like both Democratic and Republican Presidents and Secretaries of the Treasury in earlier years, pointed out that “it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/in-1962-democratic-president-john-f-kennedy-like-both-democratic-and/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Bailing out people who made ill-advised mortgages makes no more sense that bailing out people who lost their life savings in Las Vegas casinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/bailing-out-people-who-made-ill-advised-mortgages-makes-no-more-sense/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One third of all Scots in the mid-nineteenth century moved from one county to another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/one-third-of-all-scots-in-the-mid-nineteenth-century-moved-from-one/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. But, for the global warming scenario that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-difference-is-that-we-have-the-hardest-and-most-painful-evidence/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Just as price fluctuations allocate scarce resources which have alternative uses, price controls which limit those fluctuations reduce the incentives for individuals to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/just-as-price-fluctuations-allocate-scarce-resources-which-have/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The greatest danger to the liberal vision are facts about the consequences of liberalism itself and the laws, policies, and ways of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-greatest-danger-to-the-liberal-vision-are-facts-about-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Do all children have some inherent right to live in America if they have done nothing wrong? If not, then why should the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/do-all-children-have-some-inherent-right-to-live-in-america-if-they/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“those parts of the British Isles without the advantage of coal deposits or ports, industrialization was as handicapped as in other countries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/those-parts-of-the-british-isles-without-the-advantage-of-coal/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The whole idea of equal justice under law is completely incompatible with the idea of judges deciding cases according to "empathy".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-whole-idea-of-equal-justice-under-law-is-completely-incompatible/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Explore all 823 Thomas Sowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More Esteem quotes > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Nothing is better for self-esteem than survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/nothing-is-better-for-self-esteem-than-survival/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [So I went to a club the other day, which is timely because my self esteem had been hovering right around 'normal' and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/so-i-went-to-a-club-the-other-day-which-is-timely-because-my-self/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Don't worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/don-t-worry-so-much-about-your-self-esteem-worry-more-about-your/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [Spina bifida affects every single aspect of your life, from your child's self-esteem to your ability to sleep at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-ari-parker/spina-bifida-affects-every-single-aspect-of-your-life-from-your-child/) [Nicole Ari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-ari-parker/) > [You never exist quite so much as when you are not thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-never-exist-quite-so-much-as-when-you-are-not-thinking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Never let the opinion of another affect your opinion of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/never-let-the-opinion-of-another-affect-your-opinion-of-yourself/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [You'd be surprised how addicting high self-esteem is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/you-d-be-surprised-how-addicting-high-self-esteem-is/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [The only thing I pay attention to with free throws is what a guy does in the final four minutes of a game. 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Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Browse all 1,681 Esteem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The promotion of \"self-esteem\" in our schools has been so successful that people feel free to spout off about all sorts of things - and see no reason why their opinions should not be taken as seriously as the views of people who actually know what they are talking about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Sowell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-schools-has-been-so-successful/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Esteem" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-schools-has-been-so-successful/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/thomas-sowell-247_esteem_the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-scho_1895667.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The promotion of \"self-esteem\" in our schools has been so successful that people feel free to spout off…” — Thomas Sowell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Sowell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The promotion of \"self-esteem\" in our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-schools-has-been-so-successful/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-promotion-of-self-esteem-in-our-schools-has-been-so-successful/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```