Sense Of Worth

 

Eric Hoffer, on Page 24 of his book, The Passionate State of Mind, has one entry which I quote and then comment on.

 

Hoffer: “            30

 

We acquire a sense of worth either by realizing our talents, or by keeping busy, or by identifying ourselves with something apart from us—be it a cause, a leader, a group, possessions and the like. Of the three, the path of self-realization is the most difficult. It is taken only when the other avenues to a sense of worth are more or less blocked. Men of talent have to be encouraged and goaded to engage in creative work. Their groans and laments echo through the ages.”

 

My response: If we teach the young to maverize, and all possess sufficient talent and ingenuity to self-actualize, they will self-block out less worthy avenues that provide an inferior, phony, spurious sense of self-worth. Each, with encouragement from her parents, the gods and herself, will push herself to do creative work, and it will be a struggle, with many failures, many setbacks, and likely, eventual success, sometimes brilliant success.

 

Hoffer: “Action is a highroad to self-confidence and esteem. When it is open, all energies flow towards it. It comes readily to most people, and its rewards are tangible. The cultivation of the spirit is elusive and difficult, and the tendency towards it is rarely spontaneous. Where the opportunities for action are many, cultural creativeness is likely to be neglected. The cultural flowering of New England came to an almost abrupt end with the opening of the West. The relative cultural sterility of the Romans might perhaps be explained by their empire rather than by an innate lack of genius. The best talents were attracted by the rewards of administrative posts just as the best talents of America are attracted by the rewards of a business career.”

 

My response: If we in America, in the West, or in any country, were to rear our children to be individuating supercitizens in a capitalist, constitutional republic, each would have a dual opportunity if great worth: to make money and to self-realize. With these two potent, satisfying means of gaining a sense of personal worth, self-esteem and contentment, there is no need to find a sense of worth by identifying with a group, ideology or holy cause.