My other thought was the tendency of this generation to suggest what other people should do. I guess this comes with living in the Information Age. Everyone is a genius in their own eyes and we apparently just want the world to benefit from our depth! Recently, while searching online for the manual of the camera I had purchased (Canon is proudly environmental friendly and has always resisted bulk paper printing), I stumbled into a You Tube video describing the unpacking and assemblage of the camera. This sounds nice but the unpacking here involves removing the camera hardware from its paper package and assemblage involves inserting the battery into its socket (in my opinion, anyone smart enough to buy a Canon SX60 does not need a You Tube video for this). My example may be inappropriate because it attests to the well known belief that men don't like reading hardware manuals (more genius).
Personally I find the turn of the year or on my birthdays as reflective moments to evaluate myself. Added to these are occasional life events and inspirations in a flash. Self evaluations are necessary self-checks that enable us appraise our current position in the pursuit of our goals. They also help us identify the factors affecting our present position and provide us an opportunity to re-affirm (or otherwise) our convictions.
I agree that it does not matter if our self evaluations are self-driven (and self-timed), provoked by prevailing circumstances or at the behest of someone else. The latter however, has a way of taking a swipe at our individuality and can take the credit that we were never responsible for our own personal growth. Whether this matters to everyone, is not for me to answer.
