Popularised in the 1970s as the cause of the ills of society and of individual humans, and written into Californian law as something to oppose, low self-esteem rapidly became a universal explanation for any personal failing and a staple of personal development movement attacks, sometimes resulting in narcissistic, over-confident individuals with excessive self-esteem.
Much debate about self-esteem centres on the definition of the term. New Age thought can provide self-serving views of the concept; others can discount the existence or merely the usefulness of the idea.
Some see low self-esteem as a major predisposing factor for crime; others point out that high self-esteem equates with the risk-taking behaviour of criminals.
External link:PSY: NYT: Deflating Self-Esteem's Role in Society's Ills (http://www.wetheliving.com/pipermail/psychology/2002-October/000195)
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