Mitch Saunders

Will Storr, an author and journalist, joins Mitch Saunders, a longtime friend of John Vasconcellos, to explore the fascinating rise and fall of the self-esteem movement. They dive into Vasconcellos's transformative journey from a troubled upbringing to a charismatic political figure who championed self-esteem as a public policy tool. Listeners learn about the controversial impacts of self-esteem initiatives in schools and the cultural backlash that followed. Storr and Saunders reflect on the complexities of self-worth, ultimately questioning whether elevating self-esteem is truly beneficial.