Do 911 owners suffer from low self-esteem?

[LeRoux Strydom]

I am no psychologist, but am interested in finding out if there are any real 911 drivers or owners out there who suffer from low self-esteem (not that anyone in that category would care to admit)? I contend that the nature of the car preclude anybody who does not feel good about him/herself or life in general from owning one of these cars on a long-term basis (excluding momentary lapses of reason, of course). From reading this forum for a few months now, I find that 911 owners generally go through life's ups and downs pretty much on an even keel, and I would like to see if there is a correlation here.

Disclaimer: I am not trying to make fun of anybody who suffers from psychological disorders. I am merely trying to rationalise my own reasons for acquiring my first 911 earlier this year.

Thanks for participating in the poll, and for any comments.

LeRoux

[rstoll]

Sorry, but you may be a little too rational to own a 911.

[911nut]

You should have posted this poll in the 996 Forum

[porsche_virus]

Well, for me, the cause of the low self-esteem is a BROKEN 911. I've been slaving over it for a month and now it won't run. It's just one thing after another. Nothing gets you down like a dozen people telling you that you did it wrong and "what were you thinking" as you stand over what was once an agile, forgiving, smooth path to complete bliss on the road. Now it's just a brand new engine rebuild that doesn't work sitting in a bright red, rust-free chasis that will probably never roll again.

[nostatic]

yes, but my therapist says I'm getting better

[RANDY P]

Mine never leaves the garage, and my other car makes me look like a transient. (After all, it was FREE.)

So, no, don't think it's an issue. I really don't care about anyone else thinks. (And I enjoy proving it)

rjp

[Rot 911]

I've found since owning a 911, that my "unit" has actually increase in length and girth and women just flock to me.

[wckrause]

I believe that my ownership of a 911 causes OTHER people to have low self-esteem.

For most guys, I believe it is an extension of the size of their manly unit. Fortunatly, that is not the reason I bought mine.

[caliber60]

Maybe low financial esteem.

[johncj8989]

Those have got to be some of the funniest and clever responses I have seen on this board........LMAO

[A Quiet Boom]

Cars to me are my main hobby and a big part of my life so the P-car is just a natural step in the progression of my hobby. Generally I think most people with a healthy hobby have higher self-esteem than those that don't. Good hobbies are challenging nad someone with low self esteem would most likely be unhappy with the ups and downs that come with challenge. I work in adhesives and coatings research and at least to outsiders research is 99% failure. While in truth it's not failure since each experiment teaches us something that helps reach out goal, it can get tiresome after awhile so my hobby is sometimes and outlet for the frustrations of work. That said I always focus on my vehicles performance and address appearance whenever I get around to it so I'm obviously not trying to visually impress anyone, in fact as someone stated earlier I could care less what others think of me. I think that in itself is an example of high self esteem.

[emcon5]

I think more complete horse**** has been dumped on the American public in the name of raising self esteem than possibly any other reason with the possible exception of the "baby on the stick" argument.
[whiny_voice] it's for the chiiiiiillllldreeen! [/whiny_voice]

We can't let the kids play tag because it might hurt their self esteem.

Or their dad sues because their little spawn didn't win the hockey league MVP award.

I don't even want to get started on this guy.




Tom

[nostatic]

Tom, that elementary school is about 2 miles from me. Thank gawd my son's school isn't so idiotic. In fact his afterschool program does all sorts of games where the kids win, lose, and scrape plenty of knees. And for a kick, I usually join in whatever game they're playing when I come to pick him up. I never played "who's the doctor" before...great variation of dodge ball.

The earlier you learn that losing is a big part of life, the better off you are imho...

[Lothar]

Huh?

I couldn't hear you. I had my psycho-babble filtering headphones on.

What does the kind of car you drive have to do with self-esteem? If I believe that I am a better person for driving a 911 or that I have to be a better person to drive a 911, then I must be a complete idiot!

I would gain no self-esteem from someone blowing some sunshine up my rear end by telling how much they like my car if I've done nothing to enhance it's value. The mechanics in Germany who built the car deserve the credit.

However, when I complete my track car project to my satisfaction then I will feel like I have accomplished something of value. I will have learned new skills and overcome significant challenges. From such an accomplishment, I will gain self-esteem. I will enjoy compliments from those I respect as validation of my efforts.

Therein lies the problem in our schools today. Students need to experience academic success, measured against absolute, not relative, standards in order to feel a sense of pride and self worth.

Students do not need to be paid lip service by telling them how good and valuable they are if they don't use the talents they've been given. If you are a lazy under-achiever, then you ought to get exactly that feedback. If your self-esteem suffers from such feedback, then that's great. Do something about it. Do something!

[emcon5]

Originally posted by nostatic
The earlier you learn that losing is a big part of life, the better off you are imho...

Exactly. Hell, if you lose you might try harder next time.

A guy I work with has a kid that plays T-Ball. They don't keep score, because it might hurt the little twerps self esteem. I played baseball when I was a kid, and frankly, I sucked. My whole team sucked. Would I have somehow not known that we sucked if I didn't know the score? Give the kids some credit, even if they can't find their own frigging country on the globe. I tried harder, and by the end of the season, well, I still sucked, I just sucked a little less than when I started.

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains.

Originally posted by Lothar
If your self-esteem suffers from such feedback, then that's great. Do something about it. Do something!

The problem is the "something" is the parents call the school and squeal about how their little angel is perfect, and it is the school's & teachers problem for not properly motivating them. It certainly isn't the parents fault that their kid doesn't try, after all, they bought the kid an X-Box AND a PS2. It must be someone elses fault, and their kid is a victim. Their kids grow up thinking that everything bad that happens to them is someone else's fault, and then sues. Like the jackhole that ate fast food 5 times a week and then sues Burger King when he gets fat and has health problems.

The same parents couldn't think their way out of a wet cardboard box with a running chainsaw in their hands.

The only self esteem raising thing I am in favor of is boob-jobs. Ladies, if you think having basketball-sized chunks of silicone hanging off your chest will make you feel better about yourself, Go Nuts.

Tom

[island911]

From your question, you ask "I find that 911 owners generally go through life's ups and downs pretty much on an even keel, "

From that, I would say you're confusing Low self-esteem with Low self confidence.

Self-esteem is about self-respect.
Self confidence is about being certain . .. seeing, or knowing, you'll get through this or that challenge.

An example;
A guy selling his 912 fixer, finds a potential buyer in the eager kid next door whos' grampa just died, leaving the kid $18. The seller sees he could easly (confidence) sell the kid the rust bucket $15k. . .but pauses for for reasons of self-respect.

If it's Low self confidence you're asking about, I would agree with the correlation to people who bail on the Porsche after a few months of paranoid ownership. If you haven't noticed, Honda is doing great.

[CamB]

This thread is turning out for the better (I voted "what is a 911?" to be an *********).

"The only self esteem raising thing I am in favor of is boob-jobs. Ladies, if you think having basketball-sized chunks of silicone hanging off your chest will make you feel better about yourself, Go Nuts." is my Pelican quote of the week!