Self-Esteem Research, Theory, and Practice Toward a Positive ...

254 SELF-ESTEEM RESEARCH, THEORY, AND PRACTICEself-esteem against the criteria for themselves. Even so, it is also possibleto point out that there are other powerful reasons that self-esteem shouldbe considered as a positive strength according to the tenants of the newpositive psychology itself.For example, the list of strengths that the positive psychology classificationsystem has developed so far includes the quality of integrity. It isplaced under the moral category of courage because it takes courage tomaintain integrity, especially over time. However, integrity is a complexquality and comes in many forms. Thus, the term is bracketed to includeauthenticity and honesty so that the phrasing actually reads, “Integrity[Authenticity, Honesty]” (p. 29). We saw that all three of these qualitiesare connected to self-esteem and vice versa in the more intense types ofself-esteem moments and in the research on authenticity. When selfesteemis defined as facing life’s challenges in a worthy way over time,then it certainly means having “integrity.” Therefore, it seems reasonableto suggest that, at least, the classification should be modified to read“Integrity [Authenticity, Honesty, Authentic Self-Esteem].”A Final PointOne last point that goes beyond mere psychology needs to be made inclosing the case for seeing self-esteem as a positive quality or humanstrength and for including self-esteem in positivistic positive psychology.It is important to remember that the new positive psychology bases itsview of the good life in large part on Aristotelian foundations (Jorgensen& Nafstad, 2004, pp. 16–17). Students of philosophy know that this perspective,which is one of the most influential in the entire history of theworld, includes a specific view of virtue and virtuous characteristics.Although it is not possible to present Aristotle’s entire line of reasoninghere, he does make it clear in Book II, Chapter 6 of Nicomachean Ethicsthat every virtue “both brings into good condition the thing of which it isthe excellence and makes the work of that thing be done well” (McKeon,1941, p. 957). When defined in terms of competence and worthiness,self-esteem certainly seems to demonstrate this aspect of virtue. For whensomeone deals with a challenge of living in a worthy fashion, they havebeen found to actually “bring into good condition,” (make positive) their“excellence” (worth as a human being), by doing something “well”(resolving a challenge competently).Moreover, it is necessary to appreciate that self-esteem may be avirtue in Aristotle’s own classification of such characteristics. For example,when discussing virtues he pointed out that many, if not most, aspectsof life may be lived in terms of excess (too much), defect (too little), or interms of an “intermediate” (balance) between the two.