The decline had already started by 1979. Somewhere between 1974 and 1977 Senator Vasconcellos (we used to jokingly call him Senator Vascectomy) had already started the self esteem programs in the CA public schools. I sort of use that as a symbolic marker for the beginning of the end. Back then it was a joke. Now, it has infected an entire generation of kids.
You are exactly right.
we used to jokingly call him Senator Vascectomy) had already started the self esteem programs in the CA public schools. I sort of use that as a symbolic marker for the beginning of the end.
Yes, the "self-esteem movement". blech. I remember it well. Immediately prior to 1974, in my highschool, when "conflict resolution" was in its earliest stages, and we were encouraged to work out "conflicts" with our parents using a pillow to represent our "parents" and what would like to say to them... When Melville's Billy Budd was taught in my honors Lit class from a feminist perspective, when the first grads of Berkeley's free speech movement were teaching at my school, when Planned Parenthood had an on-campus rep at my school; when it was resolved that the open-classroom (architecturally) had contributed greatly to lower class work and poorer students... then, we began to see the inkling of the "self-esteem movement".
Being "mellow" and "being yourself" was the next phase of the "let it all hang out" mental fashion coda.
And what was going on in business training programs in SF during this time was.. well.. right out of a scientology manual of today. Truly, trippy. It excused sloppy standards and found alibis for incompetence.
But I refused to give up my fantastic and entirely wearable and durable polyester business suits for Levi Jeans and the new "peasant look". I travelled a lot. I've always been well pressed. :)