On Diffidence: the Moral Psychology of Self-Belief |
| |
Authors: | RICHARD SMITH |
| |
Institution: | School of Education, University of Durham, Leazes Road, Durham, DH1 1TA, UK |
| |
Abstract: | The language of self-belief, including terms like shyness and diffidence, is complex and puzzling. The idea of self-esteem in particular, which has been given fresh currency by recent interest in 'personalised learning', continues to create problems. I argue first that we need a 'thicker' and more subtle moral psychology of self-belief; and, secondly, that there is a radical instability in the ideas and concepts in this area, an instability to which justice needs to be done. I suggest that aspects of deconstruction are helpful here, and offer a deconstructive reading of Kipling's poem, If —, in order to illustrate the power of literature and a certain kind of philosophy to destabilise and resist closure. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|