Superiority
A superiority complex is a behavior suggesting a person believes they’re superior to others.
The symptoms of a superiority complex may include:
- High valuations of self-worth.
- Boastful claims that aren’t backed up by reality.
- Attention to appearance, or vanity.
- Overly high opinion of one’s self.
- A self-image of supremacy or authority.
- Unwillingness to listen to others.
- Over compensation for specific elements of life.
- Mood swings, often made worse by contradiction from another person.
- Underlying low self-esteem or feelings of inferiority.
People with this complex often have exaggerated opinions of themselves.
For example, they may believe their abilities and achievements surpass those of others.
A superiority complex is a defense mechanism against what's going on with the person.
When someone acts superior to another, they feel that the other is a perceived threat.
In some way, they believe others will find out that they are 'inadequate' and behave in ways that make them feel 'better' than the rest.
This trait can start developing between the ages of five and 12.
At this stage of development, a child is seeking acceptance and validation.
The person will feel inferior if this isn't navigated successfully.
In other words, what they have is an inferiority complex. Instead of choosing to fade into the background, people with superiority complexes may need to overcompensate for what they lack.
Many times, they'll do this by engaging in behaviors that are hurtful to other people.
Emotionally and mentally healthy people do not engage in activities that hurt others, period.
So someone who acts in this manner is really in pain emotionally.
When someone has a superiority complex, their sense of self-worth will come from outside sources.
They only feel good enough or worthy enough if others see them as much.
It's about "hunting for a supply to fill the void within."
But, unfortunately, one validating comment won't be able to sustain them for long.
So they're never pleased with themselves for too long.
Those who feel superior can't take responsibility as it would contradict their false identity.
When you're unhappy or at peace with who you are, you tend to hide behind a "perfect" version of yourself that you think others will like.
Owning up to your mistakes means recognizing that you're not perfect.
When someone has a superiority complex, that will ruin the illusion.
Because their sense of self-worth is based on other people, someone with a superiority complex has a habit of comparing themselves to those around them.
As they compare themselves to others, their subconscious mind tells them they're not enough or lacking in some way.
Since someone with a superiority complex often battles with juggling their contradictory 'personalities,' they tend to have extreme mood swings.
They can sometimes go from feeling inferior to convincing themselves they're superior.
Because of that, you can't always anticipate how they will behave.
It changes based on how they're feeling about themselves.
Someone with a superiority complex can sometimes come off as self-centered.
Some might challenge the beliefs and ideas of others in a way that communicates they have all the "right" answers.
They may even devalue the accomplishments of others by one-upping them with their actions.
For example, suppose a co-worker did a great job during a presentation.
In that case, the person with a superiority complex might say, "That was good, but I noticed people were more engaged during mine."
A superiority complex can be another way of saying 'entitlement.
This type of individual believes that others are beneath them, whether financially, economically, socially, or intellectually.
Many times, this type of thinking stems from being given everything as a child.
They may not have come from a nurturing and loving home, but one where their parents gave them everything so they could just be "happy."
When they didn't get what they wanted, they would throw a tantrum until they did.
They learned early on that they could treat any individual how they wanted and get what they wanted.
If you're around someone with a superiority complex and you don't act as they expect, they might get mean.
That's because they like feeling in control.
They can become aggravated and unsettled when you don't behave as expected.
They usually strive for leadership positions at work.
However, when they become the boss, they act in ways that make their employees fear rather than respect them.
Having a superiority complex doesn't always make someone a bad person.
It's usually a result of emotional pain.
For some, therapy can help them work through their feelings of inferiority so they don't have to act out in ways that hurt themselves and others.
It's possible to overcome these feelings.
They need to be willing to self-reflect and make positive internal changes.