The Mental Landscape of Superiority-Inferiority Complex

Sometimes, I do try to pinpoint every individual effect on the outer world to a known psychological cause.

I think studying about how people think will reveal a lot about how they behave, since both are intricately woven and constantly influence each other.

You know, there's this thing called 'god complex' by which individuals see themselves as godlike, superior or more important than the majority.

Of course, to a certain extent, we all have this 'god complex' inside us but these individuals push it to extreme levels that's hard for many to make sense of.

Actually, it's not a thing but an archetype that people incarnate given a certain set of circumstances or life experiences.

If I remember correctly, Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum, did an interview back in the days where he mentioned that he saw himself as a god. Given the direction that he's trying to take the world, one can see how what he thinks influences what he does.

When we push pass the curtain of appearances, a superiority complex stems from a prolonged or acute feeling of inferiority.

That's why in psychological terms, a superiority complex is defined as a defense mechanism where an individual overcompensates for feelings of inferiority by adopting an attitude of superiority.

What's interesting is that an inferiority complex also suffers from feelings of inferiority but doesn't employ the same defense mechanism to counteract that said feeling.

In analogy, one could describe it as two people caught in a heavy rain. Initially, both got wet but later on, one of them makes use of an umbrella to try and stop getting wet(superiority complex) while the other doesn't do that and just continues to get wet(inferiority complex).

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Uncovering The Past

A root cause of this complexity can be found in childhood upbringing. These are formative years when the mental structure of an individual is built according to the circumstances or environment they're immersed in.

Needless to say, early experiences of inferiority, such as childhood trauma, neglect, or a lack of validation can be a potent force for individuals to later develop a greater sense of grandiosity and entitlement as a way to protect their self-esteem and also seek never ending attention and validation from other people.

Think of a child who craved attention and validation but was neglected during their formative years.

As an adult, they have a higher tendency to shield their vulnerability by adopting a superiority complex, masking their insecurities with arrogance or boasting.

Similarly, a sibling rivalry where one child constantly felt overshadowed could translate into a need to downplay others' accomplishments in adulthood, through belittling comments or attempts to undermine others' successes.

In most cases, the individual himself/herself isn't consciously aware of his/her mode of behaviour, which often makes the problem much worse.

On the other side of the equation, the inferiority complex stems from the same wellspring of childhood neglect or trauma.

However, unlike the individual adopting a superiority complex, someone with an inferiority complex might adopt a more passive or resigned attitude.

Which means downplaying their own abilities, shying away from challenges, or allowing self-doubt to paralyze them.

At its core, it's a feeling of inadequacy that can manifest as playing the victim, always blaming external circumstances for their shortcomings, or lacking the will or drive to turn lemons into lemonades, but rather let the lemons rot, so to speak.

In my view, inferiority complex is far more severe than a superiority complex. The latter will eventually be challenged by reality, forcing the individual to confront their delusions of grandeur.

But, someone with an inferiority complex may lack the motivation or find it very hard to develop the willpower needed to overcome their self-doubt, resigning themselves to a life of missed opportunities and unrealized potential.

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A Possible Solution

Addressing a superiority or inferiority complex often involves exploring and understanding the underlying feelings associated with them.

Since both share the same root cause, childhood experiences of neglect or trauma, the therapeutic approach might have some commonalities.

First, there's unpacking and self-reflection. Then, there's taking action towards counteracting the effects of either complexes.

Unpacking and self-reflection entails a journey of uncovering the past. This can involve therapy, journaling, or even creative exercises that allow a person to explore their childhood experiences and the emotional wounds they may have left behind.

Through this process of self-reflection, the individual can begin to digest this new information.

Naturally, this will be challenging but it's necessary step, as it allows them to make peace with their past and understand how it has shaped their current behavior. Which can ultimately pave the way for a new level of maturity and a healthier self-image.

Taking action towards counteracting the effects of either complexes is quite self-explanatory.

Akin to a paradigm shift, new perspectives will require new and different actions. The problem lies in sticking with the new while letting the old fade away. This takes time and effort.

Reference: Science Direct


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