Superiority complexes... (Earth, contradiction, experience, conventions)

[Scuba Pete]

Almost all of us on here have been on either side of this issue. I wish I could say that I have never held my self higher than those I have been talking with, but it happens. Quite often the discussion (debate) turns mean spirited where it didn't need to.

So how do we tackle this? How do we keep ourselves from adopting this attitude?

How do we protect ourselves from those who have it and seem to stalk you with it?

BTW, the biggest problem with Superiority Complexes and all types of arrogance is that the worst offenders can not see it in themselves.

[michel]

Originally Posted by NetDoc

Almost all of us on here have been on either side of this issue. I wish I could say that I have never held my self higher than those I have been talking with, but it happens. Quite often the discussion (debate) turns mean spirited where it didn't need to.

So how do we tackle this? How do we keep ourselves from adopting this attitude?

How do we protect ourselves from those who have it and seem to stalk you with it?

BTW, the biggest problem with Superiority Complexes and all types of arrogance is that the worst offenders can not see it in themselves.

I have no problem with a superiority complex - because I always think of myself (and I mean this) far inferior to anyone else.

[robtex]

Originally Posted by NetDoc

So how do we tackle this? How do we keep ourselves from adopting this attitude?
How do we protect ourselves from those who have it and seem to stalk you with it?

People who are this way, and there are not many of them are so wrapped up in their own world and self-centered that I just let them be. I just kinda nod when they say stuff and ignore their existance the rest of the time. For instance at work I might help someone like this with an work-matter out of professional courtesy but i won't engage in conversation with them or if they attempt to I may nod or say "I don't know." I tend to respond to apathy and stocism and that works pretty well. Usually the few people I know who are like this need attention due to self-esteem issues and my apathy acts as a pretty strong repellent.

When I was in my 20's I remember intellectually acknowledging that most people with superiority complexes were actually recepients of low-self esteem and tried to do the opposite by listening and being helpful but i found really quickly many also had a bully complex and would reguarly try to take advantage of me or anyone else who showed a helping smile to them. So I stopped that angle pretty quick.

I think there are just some personalities that are really unhealthy to be around and that for most people, self included superiortiy complexes are in that group. As a response I just shut my world off to them and keep interaction with the very few people I know like this, to an absolute minimum.

In martial arts cirlces supiority complexes are higher than in other circles. I use to train in rec centers a lot (to find a good variety of training partners) and if one had more than a few years of experience and one ignored the guy in the room who had the superiority complex going on that person would always seem to be in the corner fuming the entire time. That seem to happen maybe once a month for me when I was in my 20's. That was the time that I sorta came to the conclusion that a superiorty complex was a low self-esteem thing and the "wrapped up in their own world theory" With the "wrapped-up in their own world theory"In a rec center with a group of guys who don't train under the same instructors you are going to see new stuff pretty regularly and I remember the one ego-maniac in the room never seem to pick up on any of that.

I have sorta a laid-back attitude in life though so being apathic may be a more natural reaction for me based on my personality. If one is emotional or has some hot buttons changing the subject works well sometimes. Just did that last night with two women at work having a conflict with one another. Went over to the one who was steamed talked about a conversation we had earlier and 10 seconds later she forgot all about their "conflict" and was laughing. If you, the reader are sorta hot button oriented, and this is a subjective self-assessement, but if you are it may be reasonable to feel you could do the same thing for youself. Sorta walk away work on something else find, someone else to talk to ect..until you come down because really in the end the other person, shouldn't be the one to dictate your mood or attitude for that day.

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by NetDoc

How do we protect ourselves from those who have it and seem to stalk you with it?

Point out the contradictions in their argument.

[Sunstone]

I'm confused by what's meant here by "superiority complex". Could someone give a list of behaviors associated with this "complex"?

[Scuba Pete]

It's a mix of narcissism and egotism.

It is marked by:

Only your opinion counts.
1) Other opinions are garbage
2) Your opinion is clear only to you

Inflated view of your own importance/understanding
1) Constantly deprecating others
2) Angry when you are ignored

Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superiority_complex for a more comprehensive explanation.

[PureX]

I was sitting here trying to think of an instance where I met someone I felt clearly had a "superiority complex" and could come up with no one. Yet I am sure that I and everyone else have held ourselves and superior to others in some way or another. Then I got to thinking about class, and how I am often annoyed by the conventions of class dominance, and thought that maybe this would be an example of a superiority complex. It is quite true that specific classes of people are treated as though they are intrinsically "better" than others. And that they both foster and expect this treatment from those they consider to be "beneath them" in class. And this is a very pervasive phenomenon in every society on Earth, as far as I know.

But I think this sort of class thing is built into our genetic codes, as hold-overs from the days when we were living in small animal-clans that needed strict pecking orders to keep us from fighting amonst ourselves, and to help us cooperate on survival tasks. So I'm not sure I could classify it as a psychological "complex".

[doppelgänger]

Europeans tend to have a superiority complex when it comes to their cheese (and for good reason), FDA regulations limit the process here in the U.S. However, I think the U.S. produces better wines than Europe. Some great vintages have come out of California and now Washington. I've even heard there's a lot of wining going on the southeastern U.S. these days, too.