Unearned Self-Esteem Poem by David Welch

There is a great epidemic
sweeping across the land,
that convinces foolish minds
they are bold and grand,
convinces them mere existence
makes them legendary,
I'm talking now about the cruse
of unearned self-esteem.

You see it in the young folk,
most still under twenty-five,
taught all their life they're special,
Into this line they buy,
proclaiming their own greatness
by texting friends endlessly,
call them out, they take offense
thanks to unearned self-esteem.

Then there are those women
who think their lady-parts
make them special people
with no stink to their farts.
But being one of every two
is nothing noteworthy,
no different from those before,
save for unearned self-esteem.

And who can forget those people
who say it's about tint,
who demand special treatment
because of their pigment,
those who say your life is just
criss-crossed ‘identities, '
skin-color is not an accomplishment,
ditch the unearned self-esteem.

The worst of the infected
are the terminal PC-crowd,
the group-think of raw emotion
trumpeted out loud,
convinced that they're enlightened
while mouthing malarkey,
they'd rule us with with an iron fist,
blame the unearned self-esteem.

Real esteem is something earned
by facing weighty truths,
it's built up as you navigate
the ravages of youth.
It cares not for fame or fortune,
its end is competency,
when you master the task at hand
you're then worthy of esteem.

It's not some trendy label,
or a group you are within,
real esteem is built up slowly,
from win stacked upon win.
And when your self is mastered,
it's plain for all to see,
you'll have no need for illusion,
you'll have earned real self-esteem.