Didion the Seemingly Elusive Quality of Self-Respect Thesis

Didion

The seemingly elusive quality of self-respect is the subject of Joan Didion's article, "On Self-Respect." Beginning with a background anecdote about how she recovered emotionally from not making it into Phi Betta Kappa, Didion proceeds to show how she salvaged her sense of self-worth by meditating on the core components of self-respect. Basing her self-worth on tests, external measures, and memberships to clubs was like a spiritual and psychological poison. Didion concludes that one cannot build a solid core of self-respect by external measures or the judgments of others. For Joan Didion, self-respect is "that sense of one's intrinsic self-worth," which confers on the individual the power to take control over one's emotional and behavioral responses to life. Life will always be filled with uncertainties and threats. Self-respect allows the person to navigate through the tricky waters of cowardice, on the one hand, and recklessness on the other. Didion claims that self-respect primarily comes from the willingness to take risks but only in conjunction with the willingness to take personal responsibility for failure, error, and mistakes.

Self-respect is defined in part by discipline, which is "a habit of mind that can never be faked but can be developed, trained, coaxed forth." Thus, self-respect is also connected with the obliteration of self-deception. The willingness and ability to be honest about one's ability, talent, and current state of mind constitute the building blocks of self-respect. There are different methods of measuring or weighing self-respect, but none are as valid as honest self-assessment.

Having the "courage of their mistakes" is the cornerstone of self-respect. Courage to own up to errors and ethical wrongdoings helps to build both character and self-respect. According to Didion, character and self-respect are intimately linked. Without self-respect, one cannot have character. Without making mistakes and living with the responsibility of the consequences in a character-building activity, one cannot have self-respect. Teaching children self-respect therefore begins with ceasing to save brats from the consequences of messing up. People with self-respect suck things up, and endure pain and hardship knowing that in the end, the rewards are worth the "certain discipline" entailed.

Didion also defines what self-respect is not. Self-respect is not magical. It is not inbred or innate. Self-respect depends on experience. Likewise, self-respect is not a "kind of charm against snakes." Most importantly, according to Didion, self-respect "has nothing to do with reputation," and "has nothing to do….....