🚀 go-pugleaf

|> >The same is true for society.  If many individuals lack of sense of worth
|> >and accomplishment then they are more prone to crime.   I am not referring
|> >to specific individuals, but the effect statistically on a large group of
|> >individuals.
|> >
|> Question: is it possible to give (i.e. buy) someone a sense of worth
|> and accomplishment, or can a sense of accomplishment only be earned?
|
|Of course its earned.  If the *opportunity* is there.
|
|Who do you think is more successful?
|
|1) A guy from a poor, low-educated family who made it through college.
|2) Ex-President George Bush's son.


How is this relevant? I could easily argue that guy #1 above will have
more self-esteem and sense of acomplishment than guy #2 (since guy #1
obviously had to work hard to overcome major hurdles, whereas guy #2
might have just been "coasting").

It's clear that we agree on the basic point, however, which is that
you can't buy someone self-esteem; they have to earn it. The only
remaining question is where to draw the line between paying people off
(which will most likely lower their self-esteem) and "providing
opportunity" to make good, as you put it.

Nat
--
Nathaniel McIntosh     |    Department of Computer Science
mcintosh@cs.rice.edu   |    Rice University, P.O. Box 1892
713-527-8101 x2740     |    Houston, Texas 77251   USA