Deutsch's Role-Model Fallacy: The Reality of Self-Confidence

On April 22nd, 2025, physicist and philosopher David Deutsch shared an insight on X that caught my attention:

Self-esteem, self-confidence and other such attitudes in young people are not increased by being shown someone who is "like oneself" (by some criterion society happens to use at a given moment for prejudging people) being successful

This perspective resonated deeply with me (especially through the lens of Popperian epistemology), prompting me to expand on these ideas in a thread that Deutsch later reposted:

Self-confidence grows from improving your own ability to solve problems that matter to you. It's the feeling that comes after you adapt and overcome, not from watching someone else do it.

Sure, seeing them might feel good! Maybe it sparks hope, like thinking, okay, that goal isn't impossible. Or it gives motivation, making you want to try harder yourself. Those feelings are real and useful.

But that's different from self-confidence. That feels earned, like trust in your own ability to handle things. You build that trust by trying, feeling the sting when your approach fails, figuring out your fix, and feeling the relief when your way finally works. And that internal proof is not transferable by just watching.