The word “belittle” implies that something or someone is unimportant or little. It is used in order to disparage a person. To cast them in a negative light, with the intent of making them seem less impressive than the initial first appearance.
When someone belittles another person it usually indicates a lack of confidence. For whatever reason, the belittler is intimidated by the person they are belittling. Keep in mind that belittling isn’t a full fledged cut-down. It is merely taking a person down a few pegs, often to the belittler’s assumed level.
Low self esteem and lack of confidence plays a huge role in all of this. We all have seen an envious person react to being intimidated by someone else. Here is an example.
I have a friend I have known for quite some time. She is nine years younger than me. Every year on my birthday, she sends me an “over the hill” card. When I talk to her on the phone, she often mentions that she is younger than I am, and pokes fun at me about it. It never bothered me, and add in the fact that we always indulge in good natured bantering, and I never thought twice about it. Until one day when she mentioned the fact, that she had turned thirty five years old. Right away I started teasing her about it. I told her that I did not realize she was that old, and that she was quickly catching up to me. I honestly expected her to laugh. I in no way, intended to hurt her feelings.
However her feelings were clearly hurt. She went on the defensive right away. She started seriously telling me, (in different ways) that she was better than me. That she lived in a nicer area, and was more educated. After ranting and raving for five minutes, she hung up.
I have to admit I was very surprised by her. I had no idea that age bothered her so much. I suspect that someone younger than her, pesters her about her age too. So in turn, she bothers me. Could this be the reason we why feel the need to belittle people?.
Do we actually belittle people about the same things we don’t like about ourselves?. It really seems that way. It makes me wonder, if people will ever realize that the grass is never greener on the other side.
It is hard sometimes not to be envious of other people. We have to also realize that some people go to lengths to make sure their lives appear successful, happy and secure. However most of the time, it is an illusion. I have never met anyone who has a perfect life, but for some personifying this gives them comfort.
That is why I believe we should never compare ourselves to others, because Sometimes what we compare ourselves to isn’t even real. More over, people know when a person belittles another out of jealousy. What makes it worse is, it becomes apparent that they aren’t belittling the other person. They are actually belittling themselves.
