By Ustaz Mark Bang
Many arrogant people think very highly of themselves because of what they have achieved, comparing it to the outside world to boast about their own opinions and desire to be far above others.
They monopolize conversations, that what they say is best around the whole group and that you’re so lucky to be with them.
Intellectually arrogant people don’t understand that it’s not about attacking others; it’s about attacking yourself.
They have been brought up to believe it’s a competition to succeed, and you’re to be better than some people, or else you’re not doing a very good job, and you won’t look very good amongst people if you don’t show off that you’re so amazing.
They have to put others down in order to be the top mind in the conversation and don’t like it when someone contradicts what they worked hard on and learned. They get egotistical, laugh, get rude, and desire a debate and to come up with some impossible answer to get you to doubt yourself when someone has a difference of opinion because they are always right and you know nothing.
They are the rational ones, and it’s acceptable for them to slander you and gossip about you because they know what’s best in the conversation; they know what’s best for you, and you’re just a misfit ignorant person who denies the best advice. They try to control the conversation and make you doubt yourself in order for them to be in control.
Arrogant people are not ignorant; they are just immature. They want to be the one to give you the best advice and want it always with people, and when you tell them they don’t, they get angry because they worked hard to achieve that.
No one called them out on it, so they just kept repeating the same habits of one-upping people. Desiring to be stronger than another and get cocky when someone isn’t in agreement with them. They hate to be wrong and work hard on perfection and never achieve it.
What causes this is your desire to be above someone else or people. It’s a desire and wishful thinking to exalt yourself among your enemies and peers and show off that you’re more amazing than most people are and that without them you’ll never be enough. Or that you know something they don’t, so you’re automatically better than them, and they are ignorant, and you’re smarter because you put in the work, and they are lazy and wasting their whole life away.
They stay away from the ignorant and unstable and usually are around lesser intellectual people because they are not humble enough to know the more you learn, the more you don’t know. They claim the more you learn, the more you know, and the greater you are when it’s the complete opposite.
The more educated person is not taught to be “right” about things or to assume they “know” things. The more educated person is composed of many warring perspectives and knows that no one has a monopoly on the truth. They are highly aware of suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect, and they don’t view this as wrong.
But they are trained in the sciences and history, and they know that science exists because they are full of errors and distorted perceptions about the world and others. Their “orientation” to the world is different from that of the uneducated person, and the normal course of events involves learning about their own assumptions and where they are in error, as well as learning about the assumptions of other groups that make up society.
Revealing one’s ignorance is encouraged.
Whereas the less educated person may feel that they are in competition and that it’s a weakness to reveal their ignorance. So the mindset, value system, beliefs, and overall orientation to the world are backwards to begin with. It promotes arrogance and ego involvement, and the idea of identifying “assumptions” within their own view is alien to how the world works for them.
Why are educated people so arrogant? They brag about their “educational status” by trying to convince everyone that “they know everything.” They often consider themselves “morally and intellectually superior” to the rest of society, like the “king of the kings.”
They believe and accept that holding a college degree(s) makes their life “significantly more special and grand” than the average joe. Like I always say to the folks, people who have every qualification (thought-imaginable) under the sun but persistently treat people poorly and unfairly (like trash or a toy) in a dismissive and snobbish way are still nothing burgers at the end of the day.
A person’s academic background is not always a true reflection of their intelligence or compassion. Just because they are ‘educated people’ also doesn’t mean they are above the law, as many think they are. Sometimes, intellect and reasoning can only go so far. Intuition, common sense, wisdom, and the capability of free thought are what count, not the constant regurgitation of info.
I would much rather stand with the mainstream, the ordinary people, the silent majority, aka We the People, than the ruling class (selective-stream) academic establishment elites that seek to dictate and control every aspect of our lives.
However, uneducated according to whom? Relative to whom? Arrogant in what context and with regard to what? Arrogant according to whom? And what is meant by “educated”? Who are the “uneducated people” in question, and who is asking the question? Some people forget their roots once achieving success.
They tend to be arrogant and full of pride without any empathy and compassion for others who probably were walking in the same path as they once did at the start of their career. One must never forget their own struggles, and wisdom lies in extending a helping hand to others who have similar dreams of achieving their goals.
Sharing one’s experience of success, the decisions and mistakes they made while going up the ladder will only help nurture the young workforce and will motivate them, as they will have the courage to face all that comes their way and will understand that success doesn’t come easy, but it’s worth it.
Truly said, no matter how educated and successful you get, what really depicts your character and dignity is how you treat other people, especially the ones who cannot do much in return for you. Integrity matters above all. “Public Staunchest Ally”
The writer of this article is a human rights activist, writer, and professional teacher.