Abstract
In a culture preoccupied, seemingly, with the concept of self-esteem, an argument is advanced that explorations of the self, and more importantly, the way the self develops in social contexts, is a more helpful and ultimately more realistic approach to understanding human development and well-being. Building on the writings of the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1969; 1982), a case is made for the self maturing in contexts where the self is affirmed by others, others who discover they have taken responsibility for such affirmation, thereby committing the most ethical of human acts. Finally, it is suggested that the goal of child development is the construction of an affirmed rather than a shamed self, a self capable of devotion to others, not to mention empathy, as well as moral and just action.
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Cottle, T.J. The Work of Affirmation. Child & Youth Care Forum 31, 65–77 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015359517618
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015359517618