But let's not forget an important corollary: many people espousing such lists about how tough life is and the importance of self-reliance are in fact ripping yo

But let's not forget an important corollary: many people espousing such lists about how tough life is and the importance of self-reliance are in fact ripping you off, lining their own wallets, and flaunting the law until such a time as they can pay for it to be changed in their favor, at your expense. So remember that self-esteem is fine in moderation, don't be naive and think that fairness isn't worth fighting for, and have the spine to stand up for yourself. Even when some self-serving moralizer has a 14-point list of why you should just suck it up. Because what that list doesn't doesn't tell you is that it's not about rules kids won't learn in school. It's about how no authority figures (including wannabes such as Sykes) will tell you what isn't in their interests for you to know.