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Diana Muheisen
Professor Romanow
Expos 101
17 September 2018
Lack of Self-Growth leads to Ignorance
There is never really a way to “prepare” for the future, yet one needs to experience life’s
peaks and valleys and thrive to be stronger and push through different circumstance. Having
such qualities and grit leads to an increase of self-development. In Jean Twenge’s essay, Twenge
compares two different types of self-esteems across both the “Gen Me” (modern) and the
“Boomers” generation. She focuses on cautioning the modern generation of having “self–esteem
without basis” in which one grows up getting what they want and how it can be harmful in the
long term. Twenge mentions that the other type: “true self–esteem” where one obtains success
from simply being challenged and motivated, is much more effective. Compared to people who
acquire self-esteem from actual accomplishments, those who gain self-esteem without basis lack
the experience of self-growth resulting in ignorant consequences of the future.
With an ignorant environment, there will always be different mentalities that are self-
centered and will not accept any ideas other than their own, leading to long term effects within a
society. In “An Army of One Me,” Twenge discusses the difference of both self-esteems and the
outcome of each. For example, she claims that back in the Boomers generation, “when humans
barely had a concept of self at all: your marriage was arranged, your profession determined by
your parents, your actions dictated by strict religious standards” (Twenge, 488). This Boomer
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generation was not growing much, as everything was planned for them by other adults. If there
were opportunities for them to make their own choices and experience life to its fullest, they
would accomplish more in life. However, the Boomers lacked this trait leading to their minimal
self-growth. Ignorance carried on throughout generations and at one-point Twenge notes how
“The Boomers in the book sound like people driving around in circles in the dark desperately
searching for something. The world was so new that there were no road signs, no maps to point
the way to this new fulfillment and individuality” (Twenge, 488). This is a consequence of the
lack of self-development with prior exposure to the “real world”. The only way to learn
something is to make mistakes and learn from them. Had these people explored more of what life
is about, they would not be as puzzled, and they would not remain ignorant waiting for answers
to come to them. The Boomers could have easily investigated the world they surrounded
