Why Do Some People Think (and Act like) They Are Better than Everyone Else?

I love your principle and have always believed the same. In fact, I have always taught my son that respect is not automatic, it must be earned. He's never been allowed to be disrespectful to people, but knows they have to earn his respect and he has to earn theirs. This person sounds like he probably won't listen if he likes to brag about how perfect he is or how much more he has than everyone else.

you are really wise and smart parent, pris. that's a good way to educate your kids. if you told him since he was kid, then he will grow as person who always respect other and know how to act

I am describing a relative and they have the misfortune to have both of those traits, hogging the conversation and blabbing on and on about stuff I do not care to know, and of course if she knows anything about anything or about my work or about my friends. . . well she is very inappropriate. Unfortunately, I am finding myself providing a lot of transportation to appointments for her. Get the picture? I probably would fall into the same pitfall as your mom, sometimes at least.

I don't know why or how I had the impression when I was young that an exchange of dialogue between two people was presumably just for those two people. I learned the hard way that many people don't think that way when information I shared with people came back to me through other people. Not that it was gossip about other people, but information about myself that I considered private. To this day, I don't ever repeat anything someone tells me in a private conversation about themselves or someone else, nor do I tell anyone anything I don't want repeated. And yes, I have a hard time with those people that gossip or repeat other people's personal info. Oh yes... people who dominate the conversation. My Mom is actually like that but most of the time, it's because she's a hyper person by nature and when she gets on a roll talking, she can't stop to take a breath. Sort of funny sometimes. But the people that do this because they are obviously self-centered are very annoying.

Yes, we all have flaws which is sort of the point. Some people can't admit or don't see that they too have flaws, therefore think they are better than everyone. Some people are always angry about everything. They are not happy and angry at the world. Some people hold it all in (not necessarily better if they eventually explode later)and others are constantly vocal and throwing a fit. It does disrupt the mood of everyone around them. They also cause a lot of stress to people around them. It has been said that we should try to surround ourselves with positivity to lead a healthy, successful life.

Superiority complex! That's the name I was trying to think of! I often wonder what becomes of people like this later in life. Of course it is different for everyone, I'm sure. Some maybe see the light early enough to make a change in themselves for the better. Others may not want to change and must suffer the consequences.

I actually do feel sorry for those types of people. I also think that the older we get, our attitudes and tolerance levels change. Or maybe it's our levels of patience that changes.

Yes, the world is made up of many different types of people and it does keep life interesting. In the workplace, it's important to get along with all types of personalities that you have to work closely with. It can be very exhausting.

It's good when we have a choice to avoid people that we don't want to have to tolerate, but as flagella mentioned, we often get stuck working with difficult people. I think its good that there are so many wonderful people in the world too. We need to surround ourselves with positivity to offset those negative types we have to deal with.

So true. You remind me of times at social gatherings where all of a sudden you realize that everyone seems to be trying to subtly migrate away from the same person to avoid talking to them. It is sad to see people alienated, but sometimes is their own fault of something they could change.