Discussion » Statements » Rosie's Corner » From whence cometh the human need to be "better than" others? What does it serve but dislike, distrust, deception? Whom does it serve?
RosieG

From whence cometh the human need to be "better than" others? What does it serve but dislike, distrust, deception? Whom does it serve?

Posted - May 15, 2018
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  • 6023

    If one believes the concept of Creationism ... the attribute comes from God.  
    That belief is backed by religious texts placing Man above all other creatures.

    If one believes the concept of Evolution ... the attribute is an evolutionary trait.
    That belief is backed by the evidence of other animals with similar behavior - trying to be the best in their hierarchy. 
    (EG: Alpha males/females within a wolf pack.)

      May 15, 2018 9:02 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    If all Gods are the same one what then? One Supreme Being that serves Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists et al? We communicate through one means...language. The languages differ but the mechanism is the same. Why can't that be true as well for God? I have never understood the why of Alpha Male. The truly "better than" have no need to show off or test or challenge. It is those who lack self-esteem and feel inferior who need to assert dominance. In my opinion. Thank you for your thoughtful reply Walt and Happy Tuesday!  :)
      May 15, 2018 9:09 AM MDT
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  • 6023

    Well, the obvious answer is that not all gods ARE the same.
    Even the god of the Bible is different in the Old Testament vs the New Testament.
    But either one tells his followers to dominate not just animals, but "lower" classes - non believers, women, slaves.

    Evolution speaking ... you must show your dominance/superiority to claim/protect what is "your due".
    In many (most?) species, the "alpha male" is responsible for breeding the females in order to pass on the strongest traits and ensure the survival of the species.

    Perhaps if human females weren't trying to attach to the "alpha males" (usually judged by wealth/power), the male humans wouldn't feel they had to BE "alpha"?

      May 15, 2018 11:24 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    Not all human females. Wealth and power have never attracted me. I cannot be the only female  who is wired that way. In fact wealth and power are offputting to me.  When I was younger I went on a couple of dates with a wealthy doctor. He was obnoxious. I'm not saying all wealthy,powerful men are obnoxious. I am saying that wealthy powerful often are and get away with it because of the people who bow down to it, covet it and maybe even worship it. Why else would anyone put up with don juan Trump?  As for all  Gods not being equal how do you measure "equal"?  Are Mozart  and  Cole Porter equal? How about Shakespeare or John Steinbeck?  I'm gonna ask. As for all Gods being dissimilar I'm saying  WHAT IF there is but ONE God and what we perceive are simply different manifestations of the same one?. One person can be sweet, unkind, brilliant, dull, happy, sad, thoughtful selfish etcetera. Thank you for your reply Walt and Happy Wednesday! :) This post was edited by RosieG at May 16, 2018 2:16 AM MDT
      May 16, 2018 2:10 AM MDT
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  • 6023
    Of course not all human females are attracted to any particular type.
    Just as not all wealthy people are obnoxious.
    There are exceptions to every generalization.


    I suppose one way to measure a god's "equality" is what powers they are alleged to have.
    For example, a monotheistic god is obviously more powerful than any single god in a pantheon of multiple gods.
      May 16, 2018 7:03 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    In that case I wonder how many exception do there have to be to make ordinary/normal/typical? I guess we shall never know. Thank you for reply Walt!:)
      May 16, 2018 7:07 AM MDT
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  • 6023
    Unfortunately, it's far less likely to hear of those who are well-behaved than those who aren't.
    It's a truism that bad word-of-mouth travels faster and farther than good word-of-mouth.
    I mean, how many people who win the lottery do we hear of after the first week or so?  LOL
      May 16, 2018 7:14 AM MDT
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  • 10465
    It cometh from pride (ego).  While we're all different (looks, abilities, education, social status, experiences, wealth, strengths, etc.), none of us are "better" than anyone else.  To think that we are is pure arrogance.  It has long been held that social status makes one person "better" than another -  A king is "better" than those he rules over, or a wealthy person is "better" than a poor person.  Sure, a king might be better off than hs subjects, but he isn't better than them.

    Which person do you consider to be "better" (NOT better off) - a rich man or a poor woman?  Which will be "better" 100 years from now?  They're both dead (equal).  Their "tombs" may look different, but they're still both dead.  Whatever they had (be it a little or a lot) is no longer theirs but someone else's... or perhaps no ones.   Yet we continually strive to be better than our neighbor.  We play sports to see which person/team is better than the other (competition), but when it's over and they're getting dressed in the locker rooms they are all just people.  Sure they may have different moods.
    Striving to be better than another can lead to bitterness and jealousy.  When we try to be "better" than another (not bettering ourselves), we tend to alienate others as we see them as being inferior to ourselves.  Pride.  How many people have we encountered in our lives who may have made an awesome friend, spouse, or perhaps could have opened new avenues in our lives - and yet we  spurned them because we (or they) thought ourselves "better" than them?
      May 15, 2018 9:42 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    You speak of competition and I do not compete with others. It brings out the very worst in people and I have no interest in it. I am my only worthy competitor. I want and hope and try to be a "better" person today than I was yesterday. That effort is never-ending. I don't compare myself to others except for realizing how lucky I am. I feel blessed and appreciative and grateful for my circumstances which are very modest. But I have always enjoyed the work I did. I finally found my perfect mate after a few tries. I'm happy. If I do notice differences in my life from that of others it is never out of jealousy or envy but concern or sadness or admiration. For example I do not understand why Palestinians are treated so badly when all they want is what Israel wants. Their own land/country. Yet the world sides with Israel every time an I think that sucks.  I admire Audrey Hepburn. She had a grace and a way about her that was naturally "classy"? Was she better than me?I'm sure she had many talents I don't but I also think I have some she didn't. I think it all evens out in that regard. Anyway I am rambling. I have preferences/prejudices but they are NOT sourced by feeling superior. I don't like cigarettes so I stay away from smokers. Am I better than they? That has nothing to do with it. I  had double pneumonia long ago and I'm very sensitive to smoke. Am I "better than" braggarts? They don't appeal to me. They are not my cuppa tea. "Better than" once again is irrelevant. I like being with folks with whom I feel comfy and safe. Doesn't everyone? I appreciate honesty and kindness and modesty...maybe my favorite human qualities. Are liars and the cruel and the conceited "less than" I am? On whose scale? By what measure? I just like to know what/whom I can depend on and not getting my feelings hurt or having to endure listening to a don juan Trump 24/7.. Thank you for your thoughtful reply Shuhak and Happy Wednesday! :)
      May 16, 2018 2:36 AM MDT
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  • 7280
    At a relatively young age, I was exposed to the idea that truth is the conformity of the mind to that which exists and truth is therefore the proper object of study.

    So, in a sense, I've thought for most of my life that "better than" simply applied to physical talents  (thus the Olympics, for example).  The purpose of all intellectual pursuits had the same goal for everybody--understanding reality.  And the "winners" were simply those who shared their understanding with the rest of us---so in a sense, everybody was a winner and nobody was really ever a loser.  The difference was on where we were in our individual pursuits of knowledge.

    Unfortunately, however, I realized also early in life that there were a lot of people who died at 30 intellectually, but weren't buried until they were 70 or 80 years old.

    I think they can be appropriated and accurately described as "losers" in any sense of that word.
      May 15, 2018 12:57 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    I am drawn to people who are honest, kind, modest. So that means I am not drawn to those who lie, are cruel or braggarts. I like to be around people with whom I'm comfy and feel safe. I have always been drawn to those who are smarter than I am because early on I loved learning and loved school and loved teachers because they knew so much and shared it with their students. I have never changed. At 80 I am as thirsty for knowledge as I was when I was 3. I remember going to nursery school and  being so disappointed. At home my mom and I "played school"  every day. At nursery school all they did was play games and eat and take naps. That wasn't school at all. We make choices, have preferences, find value in different things. I'm drawn to those whose choices I can relate to which means we have things in common. I'm not a brave person or adventurous so I very much admire folks who are. They dare and try and seek and discover and take risks. SIGH. I play it safe.  Thank you for your thoughtful reply tom and Happy Wednesday!  :)
      May 16, 2018 2:46 AM MDT
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