The real social ill was that most people felt too good about themselves. And it got worse. Baumeister’s review showed that people with high self-esteem were more violent and aggressive. When their romantic relationships were in trouble, they were more likely to walk away, be unfaithful, or engage in other destructive behaviors. They were also more likely to cheat, drink, and do drugs. All of this was literally the opposite of what the California Task Force had been arguing. Though it’s been decades since Baumeister and his research team uncovered the sham that is self-esteem, we can’t seem to
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