A revised edition of the book by the founder of the self-esteem movement which radically altered mainstream contemporary psychology with a new concept of human self-understanding. Nathaniel Branden reaffirms the basic principles of his self-esteem theory. His revolutionary vision rejects traditional psychoanalysis and behaviourism's view of human nature and defines invdividuals as being unique and powerful in their ability to conceptualize, use propositonal speech, reason explicitly, and become self-aware. The book explores in-depth the need for self-esteem, the nature of that need, the conditions of fulfilment, and how self-esteem (or lack of it) effects our values, responses, and goals.