Insecure People And Intellectual Bullying

When we think of bullying, we usually link it to different types of physical and verbal aggression. We connect it more to people of school age and discover that it often happens online, through social networks. But there are also other, more subtle ways to bully and intimidate others, for example through humiliation and sarcasm. This type of harassment is known as intellectual bullying or intimidation.

Intellectual bullying has received much less attention and recognition than other forms of bullying that are better known. But that does not make it any less harmful. In fact, this form of psychological violence not only has consequences in adulthood. It is also very painful for those who suffer from it during childhood.

Intellectual bullying and hierarchy

Intellectual “hierarchy” is a way of classifying people according to their educational and school competence. We learn and use this classification from childhood. At the top of the hierarchy are those with higher education, degrees and qualifications. At the bottom are those who have received some education and have very few qualifications. The problem arises when people who occupy the top of this hierarchy indefensibly reduce them to lower positions.

The “intellectual superiority” that some claim and use to discredit others is a type of psychological harassment called intellectual bullying or intimidation. We should not ignore this attitude because of the great harm and suffering it causes. In fact, intellectual bullying is no different from physical bullying. Both can affect the victim’s self-esteem in a devastating way.

According to researchers, humiliation, in any of its forms, including intellectual, works to activate areas of the brain related to pain. This triggers a more intense and lasting response than joy, and one that is much more negative than anger.

Humiliating another person is one of the most cruel behaviors there is. Here follows the type of people who often perform this type of behavior.

The intellectual bully

The “intellectual bully” is usually more intelligent than the average person. Because of this, this person considers himself superior to other people in the environment. Consequently, this mindset leads it to use humiliation, contempt and sarcasm against other people. The bully does this to somehow “confirm” his obvious superiority. However, all of these behaviors reveal the insecurities he or she is trying to hide from others.

Another characteristic of the intellectual bully is his condescending attitude. The insecurity that grips the bully hides behind its big words and arrogant phrases, which the bully tries to use to confirm his intelligence and superiority. For this reason, he or she uses very technical, technical terms and sophisticated words to make others feel stupid and inferior in comparison.

Here’s a question to get you thinking – is not this exactly the type of people who are acclaimed and famous in the media? Aren’t the most popular shows on TV the ones where audiences love to watch this kind of attitude?

In a way, it is more likely that people who use physical violence will eventually learn their lesson, because they will see that their actions are not accepted in a civilized society. But intellectual bullies unfortunately have a better position where they can be rewarded with high status in society as a result of their intelligence. This is because their “intellectual superiority” is more often rewarded. This situation means that they continue to show their alleged intelligence without being questioned or criticized for their harassment and degrading attitude.

Consequences of intellectual bullying

Intellectual bullying has devastating effects for a long time. Studying in a competitive environment where “intellectual superiority” has a high value can cause deep and long-lasting emotional and psychological trauma.

People who are exposed to this type of harassment often suffer serious damage to their self-esteem. They also tend to lose confidence in themselves, which causes them to stop taking initiative and become demoralized. We should not forget that this type of threat is the cause of a high rate of suicide among young people.

However, intellectual bullying, or threats, also have consequences for the bully. In the long run, the intellectual bully falls victim to his own game. On the one hand, people around them discover just what cruel and toxic people they are and choose to stay away. On the other hand, their insecurities, which lead them to humiliate others, prevent them from developing and make full use of their potential.

Educating also includes teaching compassion and humility

This intellectual bullying is generally due to a lack of compassion. When the aggressor harms his victim, they do so consciously. If they really cared about the person’s feelings, they would not have harassed or bullied them in the first place. Therefore, one of the obvious solutions to fixing this problem with intellectual hierarchy is that the person realizes the need for compassion, and for empathy. Instead of trying to fit into an intellectual hierarchy, we should use our knowledge, internalize it, and then use it to help others.

As Aristotle said, ” training the mind without training the heart is not training at all. ” When practicing this perspective, both the “intelligent” and the “inferior” can mutually benefit each other. The latter gets a better understanding of the world, while the former learns to be more compassionate and humble.