March 21, 2008
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Spring Break and Self-Esteem
I was watching Bill O’Reilly on the O’Reilly Report tonight.
He has a segment with video of Spring Break. He was talking about how women and young people in general go on Spring Break and make videos of themselves in compromising positions.
He was talking about how these young people were doing things on camera with limited or no clothing that would cause them problems later in life when looking for a job.Bill O’Reilly said that women dance and get naked in front of crowds because they have a low self-esteem. One of his guest said just the opposite. He said that the women did this because they had hyper self-esteem.
Do you think the exhibitionist behavior on Spring Break is a sign of a high self-esteem or a low self-esteem?
Comments (143)
i think this post is a sign of low self-esteem haha
I don’t care!
Spring Break ’07 rocked!
I missed ’08! But I’ll be back for ’09 with a vengence!
dan, get confident. take your clothes off.
i’d never take my clothes off, due to low self-esteem..
so they must have high self esteem.
or is it a sign of lack of self control and a desire to be accepted?
I think it can be both. Most girls have either very LOW or very HIGH self-esteem. It is never the girls in the middle that are dancing naked.
@itiswellwithmysoul - I agree with you on both counts.
I think it’s a combination of both. Different situations for different people.
can be both. i have low, but i definitely wouldn’t be doing that.
@john - i think im a bad influence on him.
@kbevl1 -
I concur.
Nope it just The Spring Rut
I can see how it could be both… However, I’m leaning toward the low, just because I’m sure if you sit down and talk with them, they would have some sort of sob story coming out. We’re all drama queens looking for attention in all the wrong places. But this is all speculation.
@itiswellwithmysoul - I think you might be right.
maybe… both? a mixture?
Both. If you have HIGH self-esteem you flaunt it, if you have low self-esteem you want the affirmation that you’ve got it.
This is sorta linked to your photoblog, about the Australian research about women who are depressed having more sex or something.
You mean, I have either hyper or low self-esteem? I thought I was just doing it for the money and free beer. Dang!
On a serious note: which one of those is narcissism linked to? It’s that one. Or…perhaps kbevl_1 has the right answer. It never is the gals in the middle is it? Perhaps, the others just need to find balance in their world…
(And the kiddo in bottom picture, Dan, (no joke) looks like a student of mine…scary!)
Both.
I’m thinking it’s more towards low self esteem though.
I’m not sure if Self-Esteem has a factor in it at all. It seems to me that most of this questionable activity is happening when these people’s inhibitions are down, therefore, does their self-esteem even matter? I for one wouldn’t put myself in this type of compromising situation…
high self esteem and a need to fit in.. so both…
sides.. they’re just trying to live it up until life gives them a slap in the face…
Low. How could a self-respecting person degrade herself so thoroughly?
I always thought it was the beer that did it.
one word fuck it o h and i am sorry i stopped buy and as t otired to read the other post .
I think it’s merely women trying to get attention and get laid.
I have high self esteem but I wouldn’t dance on a bar to prove it, and I don’t think a girl with low self esteem would even be at a Spring Break party, they’d be at home crying thinking they’re too fat for a bikini.
Doesn’t happen often, but in this case I agree with O’Reilly.
Well, it’s true they are looking for validation but if they READ MY BLOG WHICH IS THE BEST BLOG ON XANGA, they would feel satisfied and not need to look elsewhere for good vibes, which is why I highly recommend it.
Having said that, this IS spring break, and most of these people go back to boring lives so catching herpes is probably the most exciting thing to ever have happened to them. It’s a win WIN situation.
I’d say they think highly of their bodies and lowly of their lives in general, but who knows?
God Bless,
Chris
Kids will be kids. Who says it has anything to do with self-esteem?
@trunthepaige -
Bingo. Primal needs during springtime being acted out by humans in their sexual primes.
its mostly low self respect.
so yeah probably low self-esteem.
I think it’s a sign of too much alcohol…
oh damn, the girl who said both beat me to it
Both. Low self-esteemers do it to get compliments, but yet- high self-esteemers do it to flaunt with their momma’s gave them.
High self-esteem and low self-worth.
@itiswellwithmysoul - I’m with you on this one.
@turtleinaball - I do believe I agree with you.
high self esteem, low self worth.
@Soul_in_Motion - I agree!
haha, didn’t see retired_at_21′s comment before i posted.
way to think alike. =)
They buy into the notion that they are nothing more than the sum of their parts. I I say low self esteem, or at the very least they will do anything for attention.
@Soul_in_Motion - Wow, Good observation…that’s a pretty good way of putting it
i think its a desire to stand out .. and be accepted.
I Love Spring Break
low self-esteem, i think. I don’t know, i think it’s their way of getting attention… feeling that you’re not given enough attention is a sign of low self-esteem. At least for me.
will it really affect people when they look for jobs…
not that i will be that attention seeking and did all those stuff but how can we possibly link personal life with work competency?
i have self-esteem and i would go up to a bar if the “time” is right with all the good music and nice friends – see it’s friends not just any people. (not that im always out clubbing but on every school break only)
@itiswellwithmysoul - yeah!!!! you’re so right. and by the way, i like your username.. i think it’s a Christian song right?
If Billy says something, that doesn’t mean it’s true.
@iamthebella - yeah, towards low self-esteem, i really think so.
i think its just stupid to be honest. i use the summer for fun!
I think it’s of hyper self esteem of their bodies.
It depends on the person. I know that sometimes I do things to get attention because of my low self esteem
Both. Some people don’t have enough to be free thinkers so they show off any way they can, some girls love to bare it all. Whatever, personally I would choose a different set of skills to show off.
@sammjane -
I agree with her.
I’d say its very self esteem, whether it is high or low depends on the person. either way, all they want is attention.
They think they are doing something that will make them feel good, minus any kind of moral obligation to do right. It really is quite sad.
Sometimes, self esteem will keep your clothes on someone’s body. They are so confident, that they don’t have to flaunt your body to feel accepted. I strive to be this person. I’m not ashamed of who and what I am, but I feel that my body is more appropriately honored by only showing it to someone who deserves so
Sorry about the grammar. It’s late.
Bill O’Reilly is a dummkopf.
I think its both.
Xo
I think those girls are there to proof that, they are there to proof to people, they have high self-esteem.
I think they are low self-esteem.. just to attract attention??
My country didn’t have this kind of event… =/
I’m guessing it has more to do with alcohol consumption. I’m also guessing that the secondary cause is low self-esteem.
Confident, sober women have better things to do.
It’s a sign of low self-esteem. Think about it, if they have the “goods” why do they need to show off their bodies? Are they trying to prove something to everyone?
hyper self esteem.
I respect myself too much to take my clothes off!
I will not be stripping for Spring Break.
Eh, I don’t have a clue. I never got around to one of these wild weeks of debauchery and my last spring break was 3 weeks ago. I can make some guesses related to what I’ve studied but am too tired to think about it right now.
why can’t it just be that they made a stupid mistake because they were nt thinking of the consequences?
I think Bill O’Reilly has a bit too much self-esteem, himself, and that he likes to take any opportunity he can to talk about sex, because he’s a creepy, creepy, creepy old man.
What a creep.
It’s the extremes – the ones with high self esteem know they’re great to look at and just want to show it, knowing that they can, and the ones with low self esteem just don’t care and submit their bodies to the eyes of viewers for their pleasure.
-David
@huginn -
Ja, ja! Und sheißtkopf!
Maybe they’re just really drunk and caught up in the baccian tide of it all.
Generally, I’d say low self-esteem, because most of these girls have to get drunk of their asses in order to do it. They don’t do it because they’re proud of their bodies or anything, they do it because they’re drunk and have no inhibitions. Even if they weren’t drunk, I think that women who truely have high self-esteem don’t have to publicly flaunt themselves or sexually objectify themselves to make sure people want them — they know what they’ve got without anyone or anything else telling them so.
ah, the leading question… perhaps the reason these little girls take off their clothes has less to do with their self-esteem and more to do with the perverted human nature… we are living the results of the “free-love” generation… Sodom, Corinth, and ancient Rome had the same problem… however, I think people are waking up to the emptiness of this lifestyle… and yes, these girls aren’t considering the second and third order effects their drunken decisions will have on their futures.
I think those who are willing to take their clothes off infront of a huge crowd grew up with low-esteem, and so when they actually have the body to show off, they crave for the attention from others to re-enforce their self-esteem. Then again, maybe they just want to party like it’s their job!
@huginn - Now how can you verify that. You pride yourself in being a scientist. What studies have been performed to prove your thesis?
. . .Could be either one. I’d call it improper self-esteem. They may think too highly of themselves, but the point is that they value the wrong things. I regularly pray that my kids would have a self-esteem, that’s rooted in the fact that they are God’s workmanship (created for good works).
@cotaroba - Whoa there soldier. You seem to be making moral judgments and you know what that gets you on this blog! It gets you labeled as a Christian, one who sees things as black and white, one who believes there are standards of right and wrong, one who believes that ultimately there is a standard above and beyond your own to which you must strive. Oh yeah, it gets you slammed by those people who have no objective basis apart from themselves for their determining what is right and wrong.
I, on the other hand, applaud you and your answer.
I think exhibitionist behavior is more about people being drunk.
High body-esteem, but low self-esteem. “Flaunting it” requires a confidence in one’s body and a lack of self-respect. Tragically, so many girls and young women don’t know the difference because they’re taught by society to believe they are only bodies.
@Soul_in_Motion - I agree w/ chris…high in their body …low on their lives. (Give and take some situations) Some the beer…some the “spring rut” as trunthepaige said! A whole mess of students, a whole mess of reasons.
btw..why don’t we see 70-80 yr olds acting the same? Why not??? ha Would it be worse if they did? Why?
@cotaroba - (altho’ what some of what you said I agree on) I also need to remind you that most of these girls want to be “in” with the crowd and are willing to do what it takes for guys to notice. Why do “most” guys give their attention to girls who go all out? The girls only want to be loved and made to feel like they fit in …I’m not saying that it justify the actions…I’m saying the guys play a huge part in this thing too! No? Did you not see the guys dumping the water?
@itiswellwithmysoul -
Good point, I agree too.
I think that it’s both, yet still just the one…. What do I mean?
I certainly believe that a young girl with self esteem will seize the opportunity to go somewhere far from home in a crowd of people that she doesn’t know (and who don’t know the persons she is in everyday life) to try and be somone that she usually isn’t. If she is shy, reserved, or living a life where her everyday circumstances make her feel insecure about her looks, then why not use this momement of anonymity while caught up in the spirit of unadulteraed fun to come out of her shell.
On the other hand, you have those who have an inflated sense of self esteem. So, they are exibitionists most days of their lives. I strongly suspect, though, that anyone who is hyper-confident to the point of constant, uninhibited exhibitionism is truly in a mode of over-compensation. I’ve often found that the loudest, most rambuctious people, are putting up the only shield they know how to use as a way to keep others from seeing just how vulnerable they are. It’s a defense mechanism.
So, ultimately I think that they all have low self esteem, just manifested in different ways.
It could be both. There is never just one reason to do something.
For the most part I think it is a sign of inebriation. And I agree with those who say both. Some girls are exhibitionist and some girls do it because they think if they do it will make them more accepted.
I would say that most of those girls have low self-esteem that they attempt to mask as high self-esteem and confidence (but they far overshoot that goal).
Whatever their mental profile, it’s probably not healthy.
@Anothermadhousewife - It is good to remind your children that their self esteem lies in their chosen actions- in their honesty, integrity, love, kindness, work ethic, etc. Too many parents either knock down their children constantly, praise everything they do without punishment, or praise inborn features (looks, intelligence, athleticism) over truly ethical features (cleanliness, hard work, and the others I mentioned above).
I think that the God standard runs the risk of violating their self-esteem if done wrong. Of course, it can be done properly, but be careful to stress that it’s what they do with what they’re given, not merely the fact of having it, that makes them special.
@doyoureallybelievethat - I didn’t mind cotaroba’s answer (aside from his reference to original sin, which is the most absurd concept in all of human thought). I was more alarmed by yours. I argue that I have a much more objective standard of ethics than most Christians. The problem with Christians is that they do not view things the same. Christians can justify communism or murder. Christians can justify banning medicine or shellfish. Christians can justify homophobia or racism. The Bible is so full of apparent contradictions that could be interpreted so many different ways. Now, maybe it all makes sense to you, but the same passage means something totally different to someone in another congregation. If you’re basing your ethics on the bible, then your morality is certainly not a clear-cut black-and-white, appropriate human standard.
My ethical code, on the other hand, involves:
- Force against others only as a means of defence (against physical threats)
- Reasonable evaluations of yourself and your surroundings.
- Long-term, monogamous, committed relationships for sex.
- Integrity and constant evaluation of any other ethical standards by the objective standard of reason.
@Soul_in_Motion -
I never thought of it that way, but I think I agree. Some girls at that age feel like their body is their strongest asset if that makes sense. They feel poorly about themselves, but know their body is hot, so they flaunt it.
more like a sign of low self respect…..
I think it’s the booze talking…
Yeah, they’ll regret things later… as with any large tattoos…
Low-self esteem.
Or at least a very disturbing order of their values.
O’Reilly was right. Someday, no matter what position they hold in life…mother to CEO….they will live to regret it and for some, they will be mightily ashamed of their stupid, youthful misbehavior. BTW: it’s total misbehavior and probably under the influence of either alcohol, drugs or narcissim.
Attention seeking comes in both forms. Somethings they will live to regret as people will remind them of the crazy stuff when they are say 50 or so huh !!
Low self esteem and a psuedo sense of self esteem are not good things in general. I think these girls are looking for approval, validation that they are hot and wanted.
Same with the guys…. who cant slay dragons or lions anymore. They have to do something outrageous to prove their shriveling sense of masculinity.
I think things would be considerably different if people stopped looking outside themselves for the things they need or want.
I am going to say it is a sign of being excessively drunk!! (two days in a row, I better calm down, don’t want you to feel too special!)
I think it could be both, but most importantly, it’s a sure sign of very poor judgement (I hesitate to use the word stupidity).
I feel it’s a little of both, but more towards low self-esteem and just wanting to feel accepted by others. That’s the feeling I get from reading this post. :
Personally, I would think low self esteem because most are probably looking for acceptance and such..
Of course, there’s both possibilities. Depends on the person
I think that, regardless of what the true reason is, the whole business is very, very sad. I weep for those women.
It’s funny as hell to have some pervert like Bill O commenting on naked women. He was probably watching the video and yanking his salami.
I don’t know if it has anything to do with self esteem- I would think Modesty.
I think it’s a sign that a woman wants to dance and get naked in front of crowds.
@parappa411 - Even your spam is entertaining! Wahaha! I’m subscribing! Seriously!
@joseoliva1987 - ”f*** it” is two words. Yeah, I know, I’m being pretty cliche now….
@purpleritz20 -well thanks! and yes, it is a christian song, an old hymn
@la_faerie_joyeuse - While I applaud you for your efforts at standards, reason is far from object. As you indicate that different people interpret the Bible differently, so do people reason differently and what one considers reasonable, another may not. True Christians can never justify communism (the governmental form) or murder. Banning medicine or shellfish is aberrational. I disagree concerning contradictions in the Bible when they are taken as a whole and in historical context.
I don’t think you less valuable as a person because of your lack of belief. If my comment came off as such, I apologize for the miscommunication.
I hope you have a great day.
dear mr. dan,
i just want to ask if someday you’re going to get tired of reporting helpful current events to us. i mean, isn’t it tiring, how you report about other people’s lives that are lining the headlines and not yours? aren’t blogs supposed to be for the story of your life? i don’t know, it just struck me. i’m not being offensive, though. thank you.
love,
anna
prob both… some girls do it cuz they just want to have fun and get tons of attn. others crave that attn cuz they have no self esteem. personally, this gives me low self esteem because I’ve never dumped a pitcher of water onto a pair of breasts that were so delicately covered that mere drops of liquid would render them completely invisible. LE SIGH.
hyper self-image
low self-esteem
This is a sign of alcohol abuse.
actually, it’s NEITHER. It’s just people being really drunk and, as we all know, alcohol is the GREAT ENABLER! so basically it’s people finally getting to do what they really want to do and having the fall back of saying “oh I was drunk”. Whatever, let people have some fun. If employers are really THAT strict, then you probably don’t want to work there anyways since it’ll feel like being in jail if doing stuff like this is actually a part of you.
It could be either one really. I don’t think it is appropriate to make a generalization on the matter.
@doyoureallybelievethat - I’m pretty sure that reason is objective. So why do people come to conclusions differently? There are two main causes:
(1) They had different evidence from which to choose, OR
(2) They used a method other than reasoning (feelings, desires, authority, etc.) to influence or determine their conclusions.
Logic can generally only support one answer to any problem.
I’m not sure what you mean by “true” Christians. I’ve heard that term thrown around often, but it rarely gets defined in context.
Maybe there are no contradictions in the Bible. My point is that there are, however, contradictions in the way biblical scholars (and all sorts of Christians) view biblical morality. It doesn’t matter why this is true, but you cannot deny that there are huge factions of Christianity which hold incompatible views on morality. This means that there must be some additional standard by which Christians decide what is moral. This might be historical context of the Bible. It might be the filter of your religious leader. It might be some personal desire to see some things as moral/immoral. It might be a “conversation” with God. Whatever it is, Christians do not have a single, external, objective standard, because they don’t agree amongst themselves.
Thank you for your well-wishes. I hope you have a lovely day as well, and a happy Easter.
low self-esteem
Depends on the woman, I think, but it’s almost always due to alcohol across the board. Then again, a lot of people with low self esteem get drunk too… Again, it depends.
Women with low self esteem may want the attention to feel special for a week. Women with hyper self esteem may do it because they think it’s funny and they don’t care.
I find it degrading, personally, and my self esteem is pretty dang good.
@doyoureallybelievethat - Now how can you verify that. You pride yourself in being a scientist. What studies have been performed to prove your thesis?
I am flattered by your perception of me. Though, you should know, not everything I further here is done so with a straight face. I too can joke and make stupid political one-liners. =)
Since you’ve called me on it, behold:
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfSRwUxjmM4
Exhibit B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU6NKaBGsXc
Exhibit C: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s36Nk-r3MCI&feature=related
It could go either way.
@Over_my_coffee_cup - You’re absolutely right… it’s not about the girls self esteem as much as it is about our culture… every woman wants a man and she’ll do anything to get one… men, unfortunately, take advantage of that…
“Later in life while looking for a job…”
Yes, completely. I mean, of course. Companies really (Should) care what these people did on Spring Break that one year. That is totally how things are and should be.
It has nothing to do with self-esteem. Not everything is about feelings and self-esteem, a term I think gets tossed around much too easily about issues that are not even remotely related to it. Spring break is about lots and lots of alcohol and acting irresponsibly.
High self esteem and low alcohol tolerance. I’m a hawt drunk mess, y’all!
I think it’s due to something called alcohol!
depends on the PERSON!! Male or female!! After all the exhibitionist behavior would apply to both genders, not just the women!!!
Ok so I partied a little hard in South Padre? I need to know how to pass drug testing for marijuana? I have read some proven techniques on passing marijuana drug testing but want to know if drinking water really helps mask clinical drug tests? God speed and I’m heading to the sauna..
@huginn - You brought a smile to my face. I appreciate your tenacity. I knew I could get you to do some research! Have a good day.
@itiswellwithmysoul - ahuh, yeah, i think i sang that with my group. i sang soprano. :] while conducting. hahaha :]
High self esteem.
The media has come up with a name for the generation of kids born from 1982–and forward. Their calling them the “Look at Me Generation . Heres the link.
There’s enough of it for it to be both.
Low self-respect.
I think the Spring Break lewdness has nothing to do with low self esteem or hyper esteem or whatever stupid name they can come up with…..It mostly has to do with something so basic people tend to overlookit…………..LIQUOR…….BEER…….DRUGS.
Dependng on the person, it’s both:
Women with High Self esteem do it because they want to show off and get as much attention as possible.
Women with low self esteem do it because they see the women with high self esteem doing it, and want the attention they have.
All in all, it’s just for attention. It’s stupid too.
I am not at all sure but I think you must reconsider watching Fox Noise before your brain atrophies.
Probably neither. The girls probably drank a lot too and liked to show off.
People with low self esteem usually aren’t the exhibitionists. They may be the “attention-whores” but they usually aren’t the ones putting themselves way out there for people to judge them. They usually only go for the attention of people they know approve of them (or, in some cases, people they know DON’T approve of them). Exhibitionists usually think they’ve got something to show off.. which is not consistent with low self esteem.
Or so I think.
High confidence but low self-esteem
i think i have low self esteem, and I would definitely not be doing
stuff like that I think. but it’s not just that I’d feel uncomfortable
and out of my “element” (whatever that is), I wouldn’t be interested or
tempted at all to do it. I wouldn’t even be going to celebrate Spring
Break somewhere like that.
But I’m also shy, so I don’t know.
Some ppl are confident and want to flaunt what they’ve got, and some
people don’t have so much self confidence and try to get attention or
acceptance or something.
I think a lot of stuff factors into whether a girl would put herself out like this. Not just self esteem.
Like @itiswellwithmysoul said, “is it a sign of lack of self control and a desire to be accepted?”
the acceptance part makes sense. and also, in a big crowd like that, sometimes you lose yourself.
I think it depends on the people and their characteristics and also the situation and atmosphere.
One factor that seems to be ignored is that most spring breakers are also partaking of alcohol, drugs, or other party favors. One of the things that this indulgence encourages is the lowering of inhibitions. With that comes words that usually don’t issue from the mouths of innocents, various stages of undress, or actions that one would not remember the next day, even when confronted with photos, video, or whatever else may have been used to chronicle such behavior. Issues of self esteem or the lack there of may not be an issue until far after the fact when they once more have clear heads.
There’s a difference between high self-esteem and hyper self-esteem.
There was an article I read recently that said parents shouldn’t raise kids in an environment conducive to low self-esteem, or hyper self-esteem.
Hyper self-esteem is more like an egotistical maniac, an narcissistic person (which is a mental condition, btw).
High self-esteem is what you’re supposed to have. You’re supposed to believe in yourself, not bring yourself down.
The article mentioned kids with hyper and low self-esteem are likely to engage in risky behaviors, because those with too much self-esteem are conceited, and those with low self-esteem feel they need confirmation.
Yay for run-on sentences.
it’s a sign of too much steam in the boiler…
I have low self esteem because if I went on spring break at age 74 I would have nothing worthwhile to show.
Depends on the individual, really. Some do it because they think it’s the only way guys will look at them, and some do it because they are conceited. Either way, they’re all sluts.
It’s a bit of both, depending on the girl. I think it’s more low self-esteem though. They’re seeking approval.
i agree with everyone, high body self esteem, low self worth.
i strongly believe it’s cos of low self-esteem and attention seeking behaviour.
LOL to parappa411′s comment of the win-win situation about validation and excitement (thru herpes), haha
I think it’s both. I think they have high self-esteem about their current appearance and low self-esteem about getting a job later in life that is worth covering up for. And who is this O’Reilly guy to judge? Didn’t he get sued for sexual harassment and jeopardize his job in that process?
Oh, and how come the guys don’t get any flak for participating? Pouring water on a woman’s chest can’t be good for the company image.
yah accha hai.