They consider themselves to be superior to
anyone who is not part of their organisation.
It is standard practice for members of
various groups to be told that they are superior to outsiders. This helps to
enforce solidarity and institute an 'us and them' mentality.
This is something that acquaintances, friends
and family of members of cults and cult-like organisations often have to deal
with. All they can usually do is try to understand why the members believe it:
trying to discuss the superiority syndrome or telling them a few home truths is
useless if not counter-productive.
The Superiority Syndrome
Sometimes cult members are told that they are
superior 'just because'; sometimes the stated reason is that they are part of
an elite group of people who have left the mass of humanity behind and devoted their
lives to a cause.
They are special because they have access to secret knowledge, knowledge that the herd would never be able to deserve, understand or make use of.
Sometimes members are told that they are
superior because of their godliness and righteousness, which makes them the
only people who will be saved from Hell. Everyone else is a lost soul.
Perhaps they think that they are superior
because of what they sacrifice and what they endure.
It may also be that they are told that
outsiders are inferior, tainted and unenlightened; outsiders live in the outer
darkness while members reside in the inner light. The members have gone where
the under-privileged outsiders are unable, unwilling and unworthy to follow.
Cult members may pity non-members for what
they are missing or feel contempt because they are not up to their standards
and haven’t made the grade. Outsiders may be seen as ignorant, as not being politically
minded, spiritual, or dedicated enough to qualify for selection. In other
cases, when they do not respond to attempts to recruit them, they might be
considered stupid, selfish, misguided and cowardly.
I read in some novel about a Catholic priest
who told his flock, mostly married people with children, that they were living
on the crumbs and crusts of life and only he had the real thing. What an
insult. And how wrong he was. He may have had more theological knowledge than
his congregation and been more focussed and dedicated, but he was probably
below them in many other areas. People such as this need to believe that they
have the better part.
Some members will conceal their feelings of
superiority when in the company of outsiders, while others will make them very
clear. My own experience is of people who hid their feelings for many years,
then revealed them when I asked awkward questions and said things that were against
their ideology.
What is behind the feeling of superiority?
Possibly the most important point here is
that feeling superior may help to quell subconscious doubts that what they are being
told is true and what they are doing is ethical and worthwhile. They need to see themselves as deeply superior to outsiders because they might be unable
to function or carry on if they didn’t. Their inner world, which is based on
fantasy, delusion and dissociation, might collapse like a house of cards.
Feeling superior to outsiders may also be compensation
for being constantly criticised and made to feel inferior by higher-ranking
members or the cult leader.
People who assume an air of superiority when
with non members may also do it as a way of demanding attention, recognition
and appreciation for such things as the sacrifices they are making, the work
they are doing or their esoteric knowledge.
Non-members and the superiority syndrome
When outsiders realise that they are considered
inferior, some may buy it and feel humbled, unworthy and unenlightened while
others may be confused, irritated, offended, angered or even amused.
I used to be annoyed when patronised as it is
not easy to take, but I now feel sorry for people who are so out of touch with
reality.
We should feel pity for the members because
their feeling of superiority is often a delusion, an irrational conviction that
may be compensation for dimly sensed feelings of inferiority. After all, they
do often behave in ways that decent human beings would not, and their
personalities may be undeveloped or warped.
It is worth bearing in mind that some people
protest too much, and that saying something is true or believing it to be true
does not make it true. See this article.
People who really are superior
do not use manipulation such as emotional outbursts, emotional
blackmail, intimidation, trickery, lying and other techniques to get others to do what they want or as a way of avoiding a proper discussion.
Perhaps I really am inferior!
It was a poster on the old Conservative
Conspiracy Forum who got me thinking about cults again after a gap of many
years.
‘Glad’ was worried about a friend of hers who
was a long-term member of a religious cult. We were able to provide much
independent confirmation for each other: our experiences were similar in many
ways. She said this:
”... and yes I did wonder for years if she
was justified in her feelings of superiority.“
My reply:
“…you are not alone. Many people have felt
exactly the same. Being considered inferior, being treated as crazy, stupid, a
criminal and a traitor, can get the recipients wondering whether there might be
something in it.
I could say a lot on this subject, but perhaps
it is best to just remind ourselves that some assertions are a dead giveaway.
Remember Emerson’s wise words:
'The louder he spoke of his honour the faster
we counted our spoons.'
People whose feelings of superiority are
based on faith, conviction and indoctrination alone are delusional.
However, they may be convincing just because
they are convinced.
We need to examine and challenge their beliefs and
premises. As it is impossible to have a proper discussion with them, we have to
debate with ourselves.
I found that after going through all the
accusations point by point and playing my own devil’s advocate, I came out
feeling much better and with a much stronger case for support. And they can
sense this; they know that their attacks and manipulative tricks just won’t
work any more so they stop doing it.
So, you are inferior because you don’t want
to join and hand over your earnings to an organisation that sends huge amounts
of money overseas to be spent on who knows what and orders you not to associate
with non-members?
The members are the inferior ones.”
Summary of the superiority syndrome
Non members should not be fooled by the
impression and promotion of superiority: it is all image and a façade. It is
often a cover for the exact opposite.
Non members should not try to persuade the
members of their error: this might trigger their attack dog or confirm their belief
that outsiders just don’t understand.
Non members should not try to defend their
views or reasons for not joining as this puts them at a disadvantage. A mixture
of bafflement, pity and amusement, perhaps also with a few remarks that slip past the
defences, is a better bet.
Bertrand Russell's wise words about fools and fanatics can be applied to cult members who show signs of the superiority syndrome:
