I feel I should echo LFL and Phase3's comments here. The fact of the matter is that human beings are social creatures instinctively, and derive much of their feelings of worth from the community. While many strive to be completely independant, you are fighting against biology. It is a basic human need to want companionship, and to feel validated by others. I think over-reliance on other people's views is dangerous, but abandoning it altogether is dangerous too (could lead to sociopathic behavior). I think we fool ourselves when we claim to only derive our sense of self-worth from ourselves. What is better IMHO is to recognize that other's opinions of ourselves is just that, opinions, and can thus be faulty (due to ignorance or even malice).
Hope that makes sense.
Chrome
"Recollect me darlin, raise me to your lips, two undernourished egos, four rotating hips"
