Chapter – 9
Inferiority complex – Way out
As told before in the development of superiority and inferiority complexes hierarchal system plays a major role. Along with that the other factors that influence the formation of these complexes are as follows:
(1)Age (2) intelligence (3) Caste (4) Gender Discrimination (5) The capacity to express the ideas (6) Special skills and capacities (arts, courage, sports etc.) (7) Status and power (8) Money and wealth (9) The relationship of the employer and employee (10) Getting things done others and doing things for others (11) Cultural differences (12) The need to depend upon others
Superiority complex means behaving in an egoistic fashion estimating ones capacities too high. Inferiority complex is the opposite of that, where in continuous fear and withdrawals from others are involved.
Superiority complex leads people towards wrong decisions. Whereas inferiority complex immobilizes ones capacities. Both of them lead to harm to the individual. So we have to get rid both of them.
People with power and domination may resort to the following: (1) Diplomacy (2) Hypocrisy (3) Conceit (4) Divide and rule (5) Creating difference amongst the people (6) Status consciousness.
Too much of humility, withdrawalness and feelings of shyness may result from inferiority complex. People with inferiority complex couldn’t extend themselves into new friendships or love or express feelings openly.
Gain in Loss
There will certainly be some gains even in the loss. So also there will be some failures even in victory. In the same way there will be advantages even in inferiority complex. But it is very important to overcome that complex. Some people believe inferiority in one way is better.
Because people with inferiority complex doesn’t get satisfied so easily. They feel a continuous vacuum and a lack of some thing. These feelings become an impetus for achievement continuously. Our Prime Ministers like Indira Gandhi, V.P.Singh and P.V.Narsimha Rao grew to that level out of an attempt to overcome their inferiority complex. Many poets, writers also gain popularity through such a complex and an attempt to overcome that.
Why people succumb to inferiority complex?
When people see or meet somebody who are elders to them, knowledgeable than them, powerful than them, having higher status than them, belonging to a caste that is superior to them and culturally superior to them – but are lacking in love or sympathy and display a feeling of superiority – they tend to feel inferior. Individuals could overcome inferiority complex by increasing their capacities. The situation wherein one has to depend upon the whims and fancies of others, poverty and other situations of dependence lead to inferiority complex. The more we enhance our self- confidence, ethical values and set for ourselves higher social goals inferiority tends disappear to that extent. If people with inferiority also are selfish it is very difficult to overcome the problem of inferiority complex.
Superiority complex means displaying undue domination over others. If this domination is accepted by others such people look like leaders. Such people tend to grow as leaders. A few years back there is a study regarding the parliament members. The finding of the study is that 75% of the 542 Parliament Members were elder sons in the family. The eldest son in a family will have command over his younger siblings. He will also have a responsibility towards them. He learns to assign work and duties to his younger siblings. So also he learns to do his duties towards them. Like that he learns the capacity to make independent decisions. This entire process helps elder children into growing as leaders in many walks of life.
Personal blossoming - Leadership in elder son
Elder brother tends to provide protection to his younger siblings. It is very common for us to listen to the words like – I will tell my mother, I will tell my father etc. So also when a younger sibling is threatened outside the home he will warn the others like – I will tell my elder brother. This shows the responsibilities on the shoulders of an elder brother. Through such responsibilities elder sons acquire leadership qualities.
So also they learn giving commands and getting things done from the younger siblings. This is also part of the leadership qualities. Doing things for others, getting things done by others and looking after the other people with love and affection are the first qualities of a leader. The survey done with the Parliament Members reveals the leadership qualities in elder brothers and daughters.
The leadership of some castes is not their talent
As in the case of the elder brothers even some castes and their members tend to have domination and thus grow into leaders in the society. The acceptance of the members of the lower castes of this superiority alone will make upper caste members as leaders. So we have to realize that it is not the talent or the capacity of the upper castes that is making them into leaders. Our society with social discriminations, caste discriminations is helping them to grow into leaders.
If a younger sibling in a family wants to grow as leader he has to fight with his parents along with his elder brothers. Ultimately through this struggle the younger siblings tend to get approval in the family as leaders. In the same way the members of the lower castes should fight against the members of the upper castes and thus swim against the tide in order to grow as leaders and blossom personally.
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Institutions, Family – United Front
Family is a united front of the parents and children. Like that an institution, a movement and a government also are nothing but a united front. The unity between the members of such a united front is nothing but the unity of members with different levels of consciousness. These consciousness levels could be divided as – advanced consciousness, average consciousness and backward consciousness. Individuals with these different levels of consciousness would there as cadres, employees and officials in an institution, party or government.
Only those who work will be asked to do more work
In a bullock cart with two bulls the bull that is really working or walking will be forced to walk more. This is so because the other bull would be forced to walk only if done so. So also in parties, movements, officials and employees only those who work will be asked to do more work. Those who don’t work will be left alone. That is why those who are in leadership positions won’t have any sympathy from others. For example in a family the father who is in the leadership role will receive the wrath of other family members. Where as the mother will receive all the love.
This is because mother is not in a commanding position. Father has to take care of these responsibilities. He has to look after the discipline amongst the family members, has to control the family members as a part of the economic constraints or caste constraints. So the family members tend to develop animosity against the father in the process of fighting against the domination.
It is not the father who is imposing the limitations – it is the society
Many children consider that they lost the opportunities of growth in the society because of the limitations imposed by the father. They don’t realize those limitations in fact are imposed by the society, mediated through the role of the father. Not realizing this children tend to blame their fathers – for not providing higher education or else for not providing them with good cloths or not giving them more pocket money. Mother runs the family through the means provided by the father. But mother is considered as representation of good. Like this the division of labor in the family leads to different impressions about different family members. So also we could see a lot of hostility against the police in the society. But the government and the leaders who give commands to the police are not blamed.
If there is no father in a family the family system as it is today will disappear. A system where in children are brought up without father like that of in
All the structures of an Institution are patriarchal
The institutional forms of government society and political parties are continuing as extensions of the father’s role in a patriarchal family. So it is becoming easy for the men to grow as leaders in such institutions. In the same way the castes that proclaim themselves as superior are gaining leadership position. Elder sons in the family find it easy to grow as leaders.
So all the structures in the society are running in favor of the patriarchy and upper caste exploitation like they are in that of a family. Uprooting all these structures is very important in the interests of the lower castes and women. Without changing the existing structures gender equality or elimination of caste are not possible. Because the existing structures were developed in the interest of the men and the upper castes. Social structures, institutions and their leaderships are all but a continuation of these structures. Caste system is one amongst them.
Only those who got power could be magnanimous. Like in a family where in only father could provide the other members of the family with money. Because he only the earning member. People in power could easily change in accordance with the social needs.
Why the ruled lag behind
In the past men as well as women tend to grow hair. Now the men are going for hair cut. But the women still do grow hair. Like this the ruled may tend to be backward in culture or awareness. Those who are denied of power could understand the opportunities, experiences and powers of being in power by gaining positions of power. Thus they could adapt to the contemporary situation. The ruled may remain backward if they could secure positions of power.
All are for unity if they have power
Those who are in power may want unity because they already have power. An officer or a leader demands the members of his branch or institutions to work together because he is already in power. Even the national leaders want unity in the society. But they tend to look at that unity as threat to that power. So they create work division and rule by dividing. The same leaders and officials want to have national unity, party unity, unity of the state, cultural unity etc. which affect their power. In this process those who are in power always look like being progressive. And those who are not in power but who are progressive look like divisive elements as well as anti progressives.
From shyness to leadership
An individual used to be too shy to go any where alone or to talk to any one. Many women will be generally shy. Such shy people go out only with others. It is the same case either in shopping or going for a movie.
Such people learn the art of gathering other people in the process of overcoming their shyness. In course of time they muster courage. Finally they may become leaders of their class or school. Latter on they may become the leaders of their employment union. So in the process of overcoming their feeling of shyness they learn the leadership qualities. People who have seen them in the early stages might wonder how they have become powerful leaders and public speakers.
Remember one thing – if you achieve skill in a field your self-confidence will increase. That helps in the blossoming of your personality. Those skills may be purely personal skills like arts, music, painting etc. or skills involving social life like – professional skills, paternal skills or else leadership skills.