Low self-esteem in modern society
Low self-esteem is a disturbing issue in the modern society. Personal self-esteem is determined by how we relate with others as individuals, and how we feel about ourselves. Self-esteem is defined as how we think about our self-worth, or how much we value ourselves as individuals. Things such as social status, friends, body image and posture, and skin color will determine how much you value yourself as a person (Albert et al.). These are attributes about ourselves, which can make us to either value or not value ourselves. This is more so where the aspect of the society comes in, and the view of the community about our attributes will determine our self-worth (Albert et al.). This paper will provide a strategy that people can use to improve their self-esteem utilizing the pathos, ethos, and logos cognitive behaviors in order to teach them how to counter the problem of low self-esteem due to the society's dictations.
Improving self-esteem
Pathos
is a Greek word, which can be loosely translated to appeal to emotion. A large part of our ability to value ourselves involves the feelings that we evoke in others and ourselves (Braet). The emotions of others towards us can affect our self-esteem. Where people feel pity for us, or where we feel pity for ourselves, for example, can lead to low self-esteem. In Pathos one should strive to continuously impress the emotions of other people and own emotions if they are to be in a respected place in the society, therefore helping to boost our self-esteem. Triumph, honor and virtue can help one to improve their self-esteem as compared to shame, defeat and embarrassment. One way that an individual can appeal to the positive emotions needed to increase self-esteem is through observing ethos.
Ethos
Ethos is a Greek word, which relates to how one relates to the society and observes the do's and don'ts of the community (Braet). The assertion is that observing ethics will lead to an increase in self-worth. This was confirmed in an analysis that researchers carried out in India, where people observed ethics and social responsibilities then there was an improvement in the self-worth of these people (Sorokin). By observing the dos and don'ts in the society, and living up to the society's expectations, one can easily evoke a sense of respect from the community towards themselves.
Society easily affects one's self-worth since one must consider how the community perceives them. The society stipulates what is fit for everyone and bounds human beings to behave in a certain way. However, sometimes, there might be a conflict of interests, where what the society values are not similar to what we value as individuals. This is where the aspect of observing logos comes in. Logos is a Greek word for logic. Using logic, one should be in a position to weigh their actions, beliefs, and opinions against the expectations of the society, and the need to please both the society and themselves in order to determine what is best for them (Braet). In observing logos, the following are some of the relevant suggestions that one can follow in order to balance between personal fulfillment and societal expectations.
Recognize what you need
It is essential that one knows what they need. Identify that which will lead to personal fulfillment and seek ways to achieve these fulfillments without upsetting ethos. The point is to achieve pathos hence impressing oneself emotions. Recognizing and respecting one's more profound needs and finding ways to fulfill them will increase your sense of self-worth.
Free yourself from "shoulds"
Dos and don'ts are the society's dictations on what is expected of you. Use logos to determine whether the society's expectations are rational and whether they distract you from reaching your full potential (Brockner). One example is where the society expects very low of people with autism or other disabilities, and this might affect their self-esteem. However, this expectation can distract these people from reaching their full potential, following their interests, and downplay their abilities, hence viewing very low of themselves. It is important that one finds out what they want, what they value, and what they are interested in and take actions to fulfill their potential. This will help one to win respect in the society, which will lead to an improvement in self-esteem.
Rely on personal opinion about yourself
Since the conflict is between the society's expectations and personal belief, it is crucial that your opinion takes center stage. It is essential that one entertains feedback from the society but relying on their opinions might make you destroy your self-worth (Brockner). Your values, interests, and happiness should form part of what you feel about yourself, and what you think is the right thing for you to do, despite the society's perception. This goes a long way in helping one to release themselves from "shoulds."
An alternative approach to solving low self-esteem issues
Another alternative method that we can solve the problem of self-esteem among people is by education the society to hold everyone in high regards always, no matter who they are, their skin color, their social status, the physical appearance, the background, etc. If we can make the society hold everyone in high regards, then we can consequentially help people with low self-esteem to attain self-regard, self-worth, and self-esteem (Raskin, Jill, and Robert). However, waiting for the society to change its perception is not practical. Therefore, the best approach is still teaching people to appreciate themselves first and then take actions that will make the society value them in return. Therefore, improving self-esteem should be primarily by developing one's self-worth.
Overcoming Challenges when Improving Self-esteem
Increasing self-worth using pathos, ethos, and logos comes with its challenges. These challenges are mainly connected with the reality. However much one wants to value themselves, there are some weaknesses that we are familiar with about ourselves, and the reality is that we cannot change these weaknesses. The following are ways in which we can overcome this challenge.
Evaluate the reality
It is important that one separates those emotions, reactions, fears and bad feelings that make them feel low of themselves from the reality (Brockner). Testing the reality will help you know what you can change and what you cannot change. Skin Colour, for example, can make someone feel low of themselves, due to how the society views people who carry a similar skin color. It is important to understand that you can do nothing about the skin color, and start appreciating yourself. The emotions, reactions and bad feelings about ourselves form a significant part in determining our self-esteem levels. It is important that you stop listening to these inner critics and replace these thoughts with a balanced self-assessment and self-supportive direction.
Lay emphasize on strengths
Weaknesses make us feel low of ourselves. It is important that one consider ways in which they can sharpen their strengths in order to leverage against their weaknesses. Do not lay much emphasis on what you cannot do, but focus more on what you can do better, and accept to live with the limitations (Brockner). When these strengths become known in the society, the society might change their perception towards you, and this will increase self-worth.
Conclusion
It can be seen that in as much as self-esteem is defined as how one values themselves, it is clear that this self-worth is as a consequence of the society's perceptions. It is possible for a person to start appreciating themselves by striving to appeal to personal and society's emotions (pathos), observing the society's norms, values, and morals and at the same time appealing to personal values, beliefs, opinions, and virtues (ethos), and using logos to help them decide where there is a conflict of interests on whether to appeal to the society or self. It is by starting to appreciating oneself that a person can start to build on self-esteem. Expecting the society to hold us in high regards automatically is not practical, and in most cases, the society might view us in low regards due to our skin colors, physical appearances, social status, etc. It is therefore upon an individual to take the necessary steps to impress the society and themselves and change the society's perception and personal perception towards them.
Works Cited
Albert, Linda, Will Roy, and Andy LePage. A teacher's guide to cooperative discipline: How to manage your classroom and promote self-esteem. Ags Pub, 1989.
Braet, Antoine C. "Ethos, pathos and logos in Aristotle's Rhetoric: A re-examination." Argumentation 6.3 (1992): 307-320.
Brockner, Joel. Self-esteem at work: Research, theory, and practice. Lexington Books/DC Heath and Com, 1988.
Raskin, Robert, Jill Novacek, and Robert Hogan. "Narcissistic self-esteem management." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 60.6 (1991): 911.
Sorokin, Pitirim. Social and cultural dynamics: A study of change in major systems of art, truth, ethics, law and social relationships. Routledge, 2017.
