Superiority complexes in the world and on ats.

Across the world, there seems to be people that believe they are better than others, due to ethnicity, religion, culture, monetary reasons, etc - and these are being fought all the time, as I personally believe they should be. No religion should make a person feel "holier than thou" no skin color should make a person feel they are naturally just superior to others. These are things we seem to agree with, here on ats.

But the other side of the same coin... People that don't identify with any religion seem to have major superiority complexes that they don't question, and smack down anyone that does question it. It doesn't become about debating, and truth finding, and accepting, it becomes very personal, for some reason.

I recently made a topic on ats arguing that creationism should be taught in schools, as no theory of how the universe came about is actually accepted as a permanent and dominant within the science community, and creationism is widely believed - something like eighty percent of people. Good arguments were made and some of the good people of ats argued in a reasonable enough way that I agreed that it should not be - not in a science class, alongside other theories that at least have scientific reasoning behind them.

*SNIP*

Others started berating those that follow a religion/believe in God , questioning their intelligence, name calling, making fun of and just plain being indecent for no good reason at all.

*SNIP*

For the record, I don't condone superiority complexes from anywhere. Religious people are certainly not better than others, but certainly not worse.

*SNIP*

Keep it civil, ladies and gents. Have a good weekend.

-deadlyhope

Even irl, as a group, having a discussion, there is always somebody that blurts out something off key to the conversation.

And then everyone has that moment where they just look and say, ... "ummm...ooo k, anyways,..."

Canadians are some of the most condescending people I've come across on this site and in real life

Some forms of superiority are real.


Whether it's in the arts, sporting, or intellectual department...
Some will always be inferior...

Van Gogh is superior to me at painting, Michael Jackson is a superior singer to me...
Lionel Messi is a superior footballer...

It's just how some things work out.

Moreover...
I certainly feel morally superior to some on ATS who think the answer to every problem is a warhead or a bullet.



But I'd never feel superior based on beliefs or skin colour.
I've seen that on ATS aswell, I feel morally superior to those types as well.

Abundantly.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

Individual forms of superiority.. Are just meh. That's not the type I mean exactly. I know I'm a faster runner than some...slower than others, but that's just one facet of being better trained at something. The slower people could train, become quicker, and thus change the order in which I fall compared to them in running.

These other people, though, give off the feeling that they are better, and always will be. Because those people that follow a religion could "never" be as enlightened as them. This more permanent, more condescending type of superiority is just ignorant.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

Micheal Jackson was a meh singer, but a incredible dancer and performer. Anything you could base superiority on is subjective.

a reply to: deadlyhope

I've noticed, but that's ATS...

We have our devout evangelicals, and our ardent anti-theists, and everything in between...

Amongst them you're bound to find a superiority complex somewhere along the way.



I mainly notice it with the Spiritualists, they're very pompous indeed, especially lately.

a reply to: calstorm

Subjective to whom, calstorm...


There is no denying MJ is a superior singer to myself...
I'm readily admitting it.

That's not subjective at all.
It's a fact.

*inserts plethora of other examples*

a reply to: deadlyhope

Intellectual superiority is a trap for the ego.

I have been judged as a genius since I was a young child. Believing in God keeps me grounded as I credit my mind to him. Even with this, I know at times I can come across as arrogant but I try not to.

Physical superiority can create the same ego, but I don't suffer from physical superiority. I am quite average physically.

I don't feel like I am any better then anyone, just different.

This is what I believe

1 Corinthians
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

The only quality worth having an abundance of is Love. I have wisdom and knowledge but Love is what guides me to use them appropriately.

I can still get into a debate that brings out the ego and I am known to state my opinion too bluntly at times.

No matter what the impression someone may have of me on ATS, I would be more than happy to share a meal with any of you. In my heart and mind I know I am just one piece of a great puzzle. All the pieces are necessary to complete the puzzle and none more important than the others.

a reply to: Isurrender73

I score higher than average on all iq tests, and did in state testing in school as well, but I only should believe I'm better at tests than some others, not that I'm actually smarter. I'm baffled by how people create music, make art, and such. Intelligence is subjective, but so many seem to think it's universal. "man made science, rather than man made religion backs me up, so I definitely am on the higher road."

I follow, study, research many topics in science - including things taught in religions I've previously prescribed to, I don't think any one answer on any topic causes our mind to be the best it can be. I think constantly learning and studying and contemplating things is important - would I ever believe I came to an end of such actions, and I could posit that I finished a non existent race, and I'm better than others... No.. First, I don't believe expanding our minds, perhaps souls, ever ends. Second, even if I did.. I would call it a destination to help others reach through understanding and tolerance and collaboration, not a destination that causes me to be supreme.

a reply to: deadlyhope

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and speculate that after the mental beating you took in that thread of yours that you are just experiencing an inferiority complex. An education will help that problem a lot.

a reply to: Woodcarver

There it is! Thank you.

"an education will help that problem a lot"

There you go, unnecessarily making a blunt and rude statement, and an assumption all in one post.

I have an education. Higher than a large amount of the world, as I live in a first world country... I don't think it makes me better than those that are not educated, though.

a reply to: Woodcarver

And no, I made the thread "lack of religion does not make you better!" before I made the other thread. This is a recurring statement I am making

originally posted by: deadlyhope
a reply to: Woodcarver
I have an education. Higher than a large amount of the world, as I live in a first world country... I don't think it makes me better than those that are not educated, though.

Well if you gonna claim to have a higher education and live in a first world country, I am not sure I understand the full context of what your trying to say.

Perhaps, just a friendly perspective, it is good not to see others are claiming to be superior but rather providing an alternative perspective of understanding this life.

Peace

a reply to: deadlyhope

You're the one who made an entire thread saying that other people have superiority complexes. Like thats not rude?

Rut roh someone got their butterfly wings wrinkled

a reply to: Lysergic

Hmm, I suppose! I'm not actually all that mad, if you heard the post turned into dialogue it would be more monotone and bored sounding. I usually lack eloquence on a topic unless I think for longer than ten seconds before posting, thus the rant forum gives me a good stage to post, while lacking eloquence.

a reply to: deadlyhope

80% of people believe in creationism? If that is true, then I must be in that 'better' 20%. Ahh, to be at the top for once.

a reply to: Woodcarver

I wouldn't deem it particularly rude to mention that their are people, including on this forum, that assert themselves as superior to others. This in itself is a fact - that some humans see themselves as better than others, in many ( and non specific) ways. It's simply subjective as to whether this is a bad mentality or not - which it can very easily be argued that it is a bad mentality. History shows us that it's not one religion, not one person, or ethnicity that causes the worst atrocities, but superiority complexes. This has been applied to religion, ideologies, ethnicities...

I dislike any human thinking they are better than another person on a grand scale.

I am not smarter than others, I am not spiritually or morally better than others, and I believe others are not smarter than me, nor spiritually or morally better. Summarizing a person's mind or spirit in such a way is ludicrous.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Some people are superior in their respective field of expertise. You were admittedly argueing points in which you are not educated in. You do know why they don't teach creationism in school right? Because there is NO evidence for it. There is nothing to teach.

So according to you, people who are more knowledgable or more talented than you, just have superiority complexes.