Additional Comments About Inferiority & Aggression

Parental neglect, rejection, or abuse can easily provoke deep, painful feelings of insecurity or worthlessness in children. Many grow up yearning for revenge. However, pampering, overprotection and indulgence can also set the stage for intensified inferiority feelings. Pampered children may "feel humiliated" when they are not the center of attention or given everything they want. Spoiled children can become very aggressive or abusive toward parents if they eventually discontinue their indulgence. Very ambitious, competitive children, who have accomplished or preferred siblings, may feel painfully inferior by comparison, and harbor "dark thoughts" about their rivals.

Children, as well as adults, can temporarily mask or relieve their inferiority feelings with high activity, anger, and aggression. They can get "high" on this volatile mixture and often have the illusion of being very powerful. By dominating, hurting, frightening, or exploiting others they indulge in pretenses of victory. Their shallow conquests frequently involve the perverse satisfaction of defeating someone. This "dark side" strategy can become very addictive and result in a progressive indifference to the pain of others.

Replies:

All Nurture, No Nature?, by Gil Levin, 4/16/96 Creative Power, Nature, & Nurture, by Henry Stein, 4/17/96 Re: Creative Power, Nature, & Nurture, by A.B., 6/21/99 Re:Additional Comments About Inferiority & Aggression, by Favoredin2003, 07/21/03

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