Why do people think that they are better than everyone and everything else?

The phenomenon of people believing they are better than others, often referred to as a superiority complex, can be explained through several psychological and theoretical perspectives.

Defense Mechanism Against Inferiority

One of the primary theories, as proposed by Alfred Adler, is that a superiority complex serves as a defense mechanism to cope with underlying feelings of inferiority. According to Adler, individuals with a superiority complex are actually trying to overcome their own feelings of inadequacy by inflating their sense of self-importance and superiority over others352.

Compensation for Low Self-Esteem

This complex can also be seen as a way to compensate for low self-esteem or a sense of inferiority. People may develop boastful attitudes and exaggerated opinions of themselves to hide their true feelings of failure or shortcoming. This behavior is a form of overcompensation to make themselves feel better about themselves235.

Narcissism and Psychological Theories

Sigmund Freud suggested that feelings of superiority can be a form of narcissism, where individuals try to make themselves feel special or superior to compensate for a sense of inferiority. This can be linked to clinical personality conditions such as narcissistic personality disorder1.

Cultural and Social Factors

The perception of being superior can also be influenced by cultural and social factors. For instance, the concept of illusory superiority highlights how people tend to overestimate their own qualities and abilities compared to others, often due to egocentrism or a general tendency to evaluate oneself more favorably than others4.

Psychological Motivations

Carl Jung's archetypes and Melanie Klein's psychoanalytic theories also suggest that an elevated sense of self can be driven by various psychological motivations, including the need for control and the influence of archetypes that promote pride and arrogance1.

Lack of Empathy and Social Interactions

Additionally, a superiority complex may arise from difficulties in social interactions, a lack of empathy, or past traumas. These factors can contribute to the development of behaviors where individuals feel the need to dominate or belittle others to assert their perceived superiority1.

In summary, people who believe they are better than others often do so as a way to mask underlying feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, or as a result of various psychological and social factors that drive them to overcompensate and assert their superiority.