We often come across people who think they are perfect and better than us in our daily lives. From the bullies at school to adults who used condescending body language to convey the same message. “I’m far better than you.”
Who they are and what they have is immaterial. People who think they are better than you always want to project a better image of themselves than they actually are. They pretend to be someone far superior to their real self.
When someone thinks they are better than everyone, the reason may be they want others to like them. Or this may be done to boost their low self-esteem or dispel their insecurities. They may be feeling threatened by others. Or they may be suffering from a Superiority Complex arising out of mental disorders like narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) or bipolar disorder.
When someone thinks they are better than you, it’s to gain some advantage over you. It’s up to you to see through their sham and recognize them for who they really are. These signs may help you identify someone who thinks they are better than others.
This article will help you blow the cover of that pompous someone who thinks they are perfect. Here you will find the signs someone thinks they are better than you.
Undeniable signs someone thinks they are better than you
1. They talk you down
When someone thinks they are better than you, this naturally becomes evident in their conversation with you. They may use rude words to address you or talk to you as if you’re inferior to them. They may covertly or overtly express that you aren’t capable of understanding what they are talking about. They may explain things you already know.
Insinuating questions and backhanded compliments are their tools to put you in place.
2. They ignore your achievements
As they consider themselves superior to you, your accomplishments are worthless in their eyes. No matter what you do or how much you try, you cannot ever manage to impress them or get a word of praise from them. Usually, your achievements are overlooked because they don’t consider them as something worth talking about.
If this person were your well-wisher, they would have celebrated even your small accomplishments and done everything to boost your morale. Clearly, they are not your real friend. All they want is to use you to feel better.
3. All conversations revolve around them
Every single conversation you have with them is soon twisted around to suit them. If you talk about an incident at the office, they will hijack the conversation without allowing you to complete your story to tell you about their own similar experience.
If you went on a vacation to an exotic location, they do it multiple times a year. If your son got admission to a reputed university, theirs got accepted into a university higher up on the ladder. You talk about the amazing dish you had at this fantastic restaurant and they will usurp the conversation and talk about all the exotic dishes they have had in their travels around the world.
You can never hope to hold their attention or complete what you started to say. No matter what you talk about, they’ll shift the spotlight to themselves. They do this so skillfully that it’s fun to watch if you are aware of it.
4. They like to brag
The feeling of superiority and bragging go hand in hand. You cannot have a conversation with them without them telling you something remarkable about themselves. They are extremely good at turning the conversation around to talk about their own greatness – their amazing accomplishments, awesome ideas, and exotic experiences.
You may rarely hear about anything going wrong in their lives. Of course, they too have their ups and downs like everyone else. But they never talk about it. They want you to think that they have a perfect life. They believe that their life is perfect compared to yours.
5. They are big show offs
This is an extension of bragging about their skills, experiences, and achievements. They may support their tall claims with evidence by showing off material possessions like high-end, latest, or expensive cars, clothes, or phones. They may throw money around to impress upon you that they are at a higher level than you.
They are providing you “proof” of their higher pedigree. They are letting you know that their words are not hollow.
6. They believe they are entitled to have only the best
Their sense of entitlement is easy enough to recognize in their behavior. It’s a natural fallout of their superiority complex. They feel that everything should be perfect in their world. When something goes wrong, they are unable to tolerate it. They throw their weight around, blaming everyone in sight.
When the food is not as good as expected, the waiter at the restaurant gets a taste of their anger. At the supermarket, the parking lot, or while driving, whoever crosses their path the wrong way will be shown their place in the most brusque manner.
7. They don’t feel the need to apologize
When someone thinks they are better than you, they will truly believe that they cannot make any mistake. So, the need for an apology doesn’t arise at all. They will never offer you an apology, even if you point out their mistakes and demand one.
They will not appreciate your pinpointing their mistakes either. Besides not accepting it, they will feel offended that you dare to think that way about them and have the audacity to review their actions for errors. Instead of apologizing, they will force you to apologize for blaming them.
8. They constantly interrupt you
As this person feels they are way ahead of you, they will not have the patience to listen to what you have to say. They will repeatedly interrupt your talk. This is their way of belittling you and letting you know that they aren’t interested in what you are saying.
They cannot accept when the topic of conversation is not revolving around themselves. They lose interest in what is being said as they are not good listeners. They have a hard time keeping their mouths shut and listening to what another person has to say. They cut them short to say their piece.
9. They cannot see any good in others
In their eyes, they are perfection personified. And all the rest of the people, especially you, are worthless. They won’t even consider giving you any compliments as they cannot see anything worth mentioning in you. They constantly pat themselves on the back and expect validation from others.
They are vain, arrogant, and conceited in their thinking. They feel that they can pull the wool over the eyes of others and make them think that they are perfect. When at least some people agree with them, it will massage their egos immensely. However, they fail to see anything good or worthwhile in others.
10. They don’t pay heed to your words
When someone thinks they are better than you, they will not have respect for you or be interested in what you have to say. They just don’t care who you are, what you have to say, or what your achievements are. They don’t see any value in you. So, they don’t feel the need to listen to you.
Even without listening to you, they already make up their mind that what you say is going to be boring. You will find them irritated and impatient when you talk. Their attention may be on something else to let you know that they aren’t listening to you.
Final thoughts on when someone thinks they are better than everyone
If you have had experience with bullies in your school days, you will be able to recognize these signs easily. Those who think they are better than you act just like bullies. In fact, they are the grownup version of bullies. Or this can be a fallout of mental illness like narcissistic personality disorder.
When you come across someone like this, your natural tendency is to avoid them and stay as far away from them as possible. Only if you have to interact with them, will you force yourself to endure the unpleasantness.
However, you shouldn’t feel bogged down by the behavior of such people. Just tell yourself that it takes all kinds to make the world. Try not to feel too affected by their rudeness. Instead of paying attention to them, turn the focus on yourself. Just understand that they are miserable people who aren’t fortunate to have a positive outlook like you.
Related: Signs He Thinks He Owns You