OK, I concede it can be read both ways. I was looking at "feel their efforts" as opposed to "represent their efforts."
When was the "me" generation? Maybe I'm too young (34) to have been in the midst of that. Tho I've never had much use for society or their norms. If I feel that I've done a good job on something, I have no problem with saying so. But I am very much the sufferer of seeing flaws in my own work where others don't.