Essay

Self-confidence vs. overconfidence

By Jennifer Matsui

In the United States, it is widely believed that self-confidence is the key to better learning and academic achievement. People believe that a child's psychological well-being and intellectual development depends entirely on the belief that he/she is "special," unique and deserving of every reward that life has to offer, even if such rewards are unjustified or unearned. If a child is not doing well at school, or exhibiting anti-social behavior, parents are told it's because their child lacks self-esteem. Recent studies, though, suggest that this emphasis on self-confidence denies children the tools they need to achieve success in adulthood both personally and professionally.

In a 1992 study, psychologists Harold Stevenson and James Stigler compared the academic skills of elementary school students in China, Taiwan, Japan and the United States. Asian students, the study revealed, outperformed American students. But when the U.S. students evaluated their performance, they rated themselves much higher than the Asian students. The Asian students saw only room for self-improvement, while the U.S. students were blind to the possibility that their performance was anything less than stellar.

Countries where "self" is defined in relation to others and seldom expressed through displays of individualism or excessive self-regard are often criticized for fostering conformity and inhibiting creativity. Asian students' achievements are often dismissed as the by-product of pushy, ambitious parents and outdated cultural practices. They are often stereotyped as dull and unimaginative; obedient drones who dutifully memorize and recite facts, who don't have critical thinking skills.

I have heard people in Japan express envy for what they believe is America's superior school system, where individualism and creativity are fostered

Japan's public education system is woefully built on the idea that education should serve corporate interests, providing companies with obedient workers. But those who insist that America's public schools are better should consider the following:

Under President George W. Bush, the U.S. government has made federal funding for public schools incumbent on students' test scores. Fearing a further loss of much-needed funds, teachers are forced to "teach to the test," allowing little or no time to foster thinking skills. Part of this process has been the introduction of "self-esteem" into the curriculum. Students (and their parents) will be discouraged from demanding better education if they can be convinced that poor performance can be attributed to a lack of self-confidence

America will suffer in the long run. As incompetent blowhards continue to climb up the ladder, making disastrous decisions and replacing leaders with delusional thinkers, many Asian economies will overtake the U.S. economy — deservedly so.

Shukan ST: July 27, 2007

(C) All rights reserved