Jul 28 2008
Superiority Complex
I KNEW I was better than just about everyone else! I KNEW it! And now you know it too. Though, I realize that this WON’T be news to most of you. I mean, OBVIOUSLY this would be my result:
(It does make me wonder, though, how smart people do on such a quiz.)
Thank GOODNESS I’ve managed to find a way to channel all that brilliance and get RICH.
Oh wait…
Interestingly enough, Hypatia is the only female of all time who was considered a “Universal Genius.” (We know of more men who qualify— possibly because throughout history men were given more opportunities to display their intelligence, possibly because men simply tend to do better in tests of logic. But I’m SO NOT GETTING myself into THAT debate!) I’m pretty sure that I, um, don’t exactly measure up to Hypatia’s genius. Or, you know, even the brilliance of most of my acquaintances. Still, I can tell people that some silly internet quiz says that I’m a Universal Genius, and therefore I MUST be! Because silly internet quizzes DO NOT LIE!
Also, in a somewhat related vein, there’s a part in Becoming Jane where Tom LeFroy tells Jane Austen, “I think that you consider yourself a cut above the company— secretly.” This, of course, is on the heels of her announcing to her friends that she considers him to be pompous and arrogant. The line (in fact, the whole story) is not historically accurate— we have no reason to believe that he said anything like that to her. Still, I found it intriguing.
I was talking with my dear bloggy friend Jenn in Holland a while back and we were discussing how we have both felt, for much of our lives, like we were the fish out of water. Not in a dibilitating or alienating way or anything morbid like that. Just that we were… a little different from the rest of the crowd. Whether we were at Church, school, society in general, we just felt a little bit different. But the more people I talk to, the more I hear this story. It got me thinking that perhaps EVERYONE feels like a fish out of water. Does anyone ever actually feel like they fit in? Like they are one of the crowd? Like they belong?
And, even more interesting, do you think that you’re not just “not a part of the group,” but better than the group? I’ve been contemplating this for some time, and I decided that it was time to poll Teh Internets. Remember that with my polls, your answers are completely confidential— I have NO WAY of knowing who voted how. So… be honest!
Online Surveys & Market Research
And by “better,” I mean any of the following: smarter (like me and my Universal Genius-ness), more moral, more righteous, more interesting, richer, better dressed, better coiffed, more experienced, more successful, better with money, funnier, prettier, deeper, more charismatic, more charming, or any other thing that YOU think makes YOU better than others.
Polls close tomorrow at midnight (Mountain Time). We’ll continue the discussion after the poll results (and your comments) are in!
I often feel different but rarely better. If I was at a potluck and everybody brought burnt cookies and mine weren’t burnt, I might feel better. Or if I were in a room full of women who each had a chunk of hair sticking up oddly and mine didn’t, I might feel better in that moment.
Not true. I’d probably kick myself for being the only one with unburnt cookies or for brushing my hair.
I have got to get over this!
I don’t know about smart. But I sure am awesome and hawt and skinny and rich and ….
So THAT’s where you’ve been? Spending all your time taking internet quizzes to boost your superiority complex? hahaha
My high school algebra teacher had an IQ of 165. (And there was no such thing as a silly internet quiz back then.) I have no idea why she told me that (and why I still remember it when I can’t remember where I put my car keys), but I’m pretty sure she had a superiority complex.
I began to vote…then changed my vote…then stopped altogether.
because I think EVERYBODY is superior at something, and we all have raging INFERIORITY complexes as well. If I were being truly honest, I would have to vote Yes, and No. (See my “Jan In Real Life” post for a perfect example.) And I believe those votes cancel each other out.
My dad has a PhD in Creativity and Educational Psychology, and he worked with a school that used a Multiple Talents Curriculum. They graded every student on a chart that looked like a series of totem poles. Some were top of the pole at one thing, like problem-solving, and bottom of another totem pole, like memorization or forecasting. They had identified over 120 different talents. (Our current education system grades on about 4 of those.) I was really intrigued with that as a kid. It gave a far more realistic ranking, and was better for everyone’s self-esteem because every child got to be top of the class at SOMETHING.
This whole idea reminds me of the book _You Are Special_. (Cheesy title, wonderful story!) Therein lies the ideal. (I know, I know, stop recommending books! Can’t help myself!)
Sorry about the epistle-ish comment. This is more like an email!
Oops!
Do you need to ask?
OMGoodness, Charlie Brown and I were JUST having this same conversation last night - the bit about not fitting in. I think we all feel this way in some regard, and what it boils down to for me is that that is what my family is for. I may get let down by people I thought I “fit” with (i.e. my own family of origin, for instance) but if I invest my time in my family I have a self-made solace from the world, kwim?
I don’t necessarily feel “better” in general than most people, but smarter, yeah. I’m a nerd, and I am smarter than most people I hang with, but that’s ok, cuz they are better money managers, socialites, etc, etc. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and if one can honestly say s/he is better “in general” than most of the crowd, than I think s/he ought to look up narcissist in the dictionary, only to find her/his reflection.
ramblin’ reds last blog post..Brilliant!
I meant to add “relationship with God,” in my little bit about investing in my family, because both are key to that peaceful haven where I feel like I belong.
Also, I have something for you at my most recent post.
ramblin’ reds last blog post..Brilliant!
I totally wrote a post about this a while ago. Me and my snobness and how I have realized I think I’m better than everyone. Sigh.
I’m really not.
But my Mama claims I have an above 140 IQ. I tell her to prove it. She can’t.
I’m guessing I’m more like a 50?
Come on! At least 55. AT LEAST.
Yes - I absolutely usually feel that I don’t fit in.
Better than others??? Hmmm. I haven’t voted on the poll because I think NO NO NO - I do NOT think I’m better; Yet I often do find myself thinking “why does so and so keep making such dumb choices,” or “so and so is wrong to do such and such…” etc…
So what does that say about me? Don’t answer - I don’t want to hear what it says about me because I don’t want it to be true - SO… i refuse to vote! (Doesn’t ignoring it make it go away???)
Without going into a detail that would end up being a post, my answer is yes.
I don’t know Brill…I looked at that I.Q. test and the people who put it together can’t even spell or use correct grammar…
I bet you are above 152! If they can’t spell, they probably can’t do the math either.
I voted…but its a SECRET what my answer was, except that so far everyone has said the same answer, so you do have a way to tell, unless someone votes no…
Heffalumps last blog post..Happy Blogaversary…
I really need you to stop writing my thoughts. Especially on the very same day as I’m thinking them. Cause it’s freaking me out just a bit…
All of us are totally insecure. I think I know that for sure, but I’m too insecure to say it too confidently. So out of our insecurity comes this desire to think of ourselves as better, smarter, cuter, nicer, more fashionable, more spiritual, etc…. It makes us feel better. We do it so much (to overcome our insecurities) that we start to believe it’s true.
But that’s just my humble opinion. And I’m right. Cause I’m smart and I know everything.
Heathers last blog post..I’m a Princess
First off, love your blog’s new look : ) I finally jumped over from the Bloglines feed to actually see it (one of the things I hate about Bloglines).
Secondly, I just watched ‘Becoming Jane’ last night so that was so vivid in my head…weird.
Thirdly, I often don’t feel like I fit in. I’m not always sure why, but I just feel a little different. Perhaps it’s because I feel like I’ve changed so much in the last 2 years that I have to find a new groove to fit in with the old acquaintances. And besides all that, I’m totally hawt, so I KNOW everyone wishes they were like me (ahem, or not). : )
Erins last blog post..Self Portrait Sunday…I cut my hair AGAIN!
I often feel like I am better than other people. When I was in high school, I was one of the unpopular kids, and I thought that being unpopular just by its very nature made me better than the popular kids. Go figure.
It’s so easy to start thinking I’m so wonderful. God usually throws a little something in the mix to remind me that, no, actually, I kind of fail. A lot. LOL
Erins last blog post..His Hand in the Heartbreak
I’m much to much of a scaredy cat to take that test!
Cheers
p.s. I had no luck loading ‘commentluv’ onto my blog, is there some secret trick?
I think we all think we’re better that other people in some way, because we’re all different, and if we value what we ourselves are, then we think we’re the best at whatever it we we think we are, because obviously we are the best at being ourselves. I try very hard not to think I am of more VALUE than other people, but yes, I do think I’m more of what I want to be than other people sometimes are.
Astartes last blog post..a nice day at The House
I like to think of myself as far superior to all and sundry, but really I’m far too self deprecating to ever truly be!!
Karens last blog post..One Fab Weekend Away . . . My Own Mastercard Commercial!
I have to admit that I do sometimes feel better than the world.
And then I take a look at my kitchen sink and get a quick burst of reality. I may be smarter, prettier and more talented than the rest of the world (not really) but I certainly cannot keep my house clean. And unfortunately, I know a lot of people who are smart, pretty,and talented who can keep their houses clean.
Actually, I was horrible about this until I moved away from my homestate for four years and found out that the rest of the world was a lot like me. I’m much less inclined to feel superior these days.
And inferior–all the time. It’s been two years and I still don’t quite feel like I belong in my neighborhood. It’s getting better though.
Yah I took your freakin IQ test…but then again I always knew you were smarter than me. As for Katestrophe…HOW CAN YOUr MOM tel you what your IQ is?? DID YOU TAKE THE test or WHAT?
TheBakersRocks last blog post..I Wanna Green House
I took your test too….. anxious to see the results. Love the new look of your site. (((HUGS)))
Jans last blog post..Life Is Like a BallGame???
I work with a bunch of doctors so I have a hard time thinking I’m smarter but I absolutely believe I’m just as smart.
Alison Wonderlands last blog post..Revisited
So, I took the test and scored higher, but still in the universal genius category. I’ve always tested well. my husband however is a certified Genius at 186. Most of the time I feel smarter than the general public, but almost always dumber than my hubby. That jives with the scores.
Rabbi’s wifes last blog post..wordless tuesday…sort of
i am completely better than everyone else at two things:
1) drinking iced chais. NO ONE can do that like i can.
2) loving your blog header. dear BOB do i love it! it makes me want to go for a serene little swim - no float. just lie there and let myself . . . be.
i must find that place. it is my life’s work to find that place and be there.
by the way. i took the poll. i scored a 2000. so either i am such a genious as to be ridiculously superior than everyone on the planet, or (more likely) there’s a software bug, which i triggered. no. wait. maybe i was the 2000th person to *take* the poll. yes, that must be it.
hollys last blog post..i = 1 part amazing, 1 part completely wrecked
i just realized i took the “how many chais can you drink in one sitting” poll. crap. my iq’s only 136. i so suck.
hollys last blog post..i = 1 part amazing, 1 part completely wrecked
Yes i often feel i dont fit, but not sure about being better than other. And interesting point to think on.
Casdoks last blog post..Our reality
Well, we always knew you were a genius.
Don’t you think perhaps people who are drawn to blogging are those who don’t quite fit in somehow and need a broader throw of the net to find a real community? It’s obviously because we’re smarter, funnier, and more engaging than most that we need to seek out each other. Right? And I’m with Heffalump; there were some problems with that test that make me doubt it just a wee bit — though I’m ’sure you really are far smarter than average.
Apparently I’m feeling honest tonight because I totally voted yes. I’m a bit messed up though, I have an inferiority complex -and- a superiority complex.
At the same time.
It hurts my brain, it really does.
Kimberlys last blog post..Death by Chocolate
Hee hee, I’m with Kim. I voted too. I kind of feel that I’m different in a way that I like. I don’t like the word better, but that’s probably what I do think really. What a swell head, hee hee.
Jo Beaufoixs last blog post..Medieval Mayhem
Loads of times i would say yes to this question, but i have to keep reminding myself, otherwise id have no friends at all, regards, mick..
The moaning bloggers last blog post..Tmobile tried to rip me off with data charges