I think they mean self-esteem with out accomplishment. Yours achieved a goal that gave them esteem earned. I think this whole no score soccer everyone gets a trophy even if ya didn't even try thing is the reference here. They think highly of themself having never done anything of value. Yours earned it...........Apples to chickens brother.

I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. Edgar Allan Poe