If this started in the 80's I blame Ronald Regan and the movements that brought his ilk in power. There was a NYTimes article that said when Regan became president people's worth started to be more judged by external measures. Yes we have this whole complex of psychologists feeding us dreck like "you have innate worth" but when these ideas aren't backed up in day to day interactions they don't generally help people, at least not thinking people.