If you have ever been a victim of someone belittling you, then you have to wonder why. There are many reasons that can explain the need that motivates people who belittle others to explore. For this purpose, I will share some causes of why others act in this fashion.
To begin with, some people could have low self-esteem that put you down. This could cause them to react out of jealousy by doing something hurtful or criticizing just to make you feel incompetent while elevating their own self worth.
Why people deliberately go out of their way to belittle others could also be due to a lack of empathy.
According to Merriman-Webster, empathy is defined as: “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.”
So what does that quality have to do with putting others down? Well, it can mean these individuals have difficulty in relating to others in social connections. Sometimes, these people that act in this way are too self-centered to even think what they are doing or saying is wrong. Being sensitive to the feelings of others is far beyond them.
People such as this also can go out of their way to inflict mental pain on others because they may feel threatened. After all, they may feel inferior about their capabilities or education and use that avenue to crush spirits that may be moving in what they consider their territory. For example, you may be an upcoming star in your company that the scorner perceives as someone that could steal his or her position.
Then again, people that want to minimize others can also do it out of dislike or even hatred for no reason. Perhaps, the person is a reminder as to what the abuser lacks.
Those that put others down could also have mental health issues that they have no control over until those problems are addressed by a professional.
Unfortunately, some people will continue with such poor behavior. However, the next time this may happen to you, try to ignore whatever it is. Just remember that you are not the one with the problem, only the recipient of the cruelty. The less thought that you give to those offensive actions or words, the less power that the person inflicting the pain has over you.
