In Defense of Self-Esteem

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ziemowit Gowin and Tristan de Liège defend self-esteem against attacks and misrepresentations by presenting Ayn Rand’s distinctive view of self-esteem as a psychological and moral necessity for successful living.

Among the topics covered:

Why we should care about how to think about self-esteem as a value;
Rand’s view of self-esteem as portrayed in her fictional characters;
Why self-esteem is not the result of the opinions of others or an automatic recognition of one’s inherent value;
Why self-esteem is a necessary condition for happiness and success;
Why self-esteem is necessary for success in work and creativity;
Why self-esteem is necessary for success in one’s relationships;
Rand’s view of the moral nature and necessity of self-esteem.

Mentioned in this podcast and relevant to the discussion are The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (request a free copy of Atlas Shrugged here), and an article by Elan Journo on “Why So Many People Struggle to Gain Self-Esteem.”

The podcast was recorded on July 5, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.