# Do you have a superiority complex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 7, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316 "2009-12-07T14:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/61 "2009-12-07T22:12:06Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Heh, well, I could buy that the time he spent in social bonding with his family or others in religious ritual may have helped him relax and unwind. Of course, this is entirely seperate from what _kind_ of ritual was being practiced - he could have been relaxing while spending his Sundays golfing or playing horseshoes or whatnot. I dunno Darwin strikes me as the kind of guy that worked on Sundays. > [@](#): > > And since there’s no way to tell which religion is true by any objective standard, I figure they’re all interchangable. I don’t know what Darwin personally believed, but I’m glad neither he nor Einstein were beholden to theocratic patrons, as Galileo was, to his detriment. There’s some truth to that. The entire idea of a Sabbath is to get people to relax. It doesn’t need to be denominational. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/62 "2009-12-07T22:30:11Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > The real question is why would intelligence, curiosity, insightfulness or education (which people on SD seem to generally have more of than the average person) necessarily translate into generalized superiority? Well, a lot of the political threads boil down to someone saying how things _should_ be, and indeed how they obviously _would_ be, but for the resistance of some uneducated, dogmatic types who resist what’s clearly in their best interest. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/63 "2009-12-07T23:19:11Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’m prepared to say that Darwin without God would very likely have been more intelligent than Darwin with God, to the degree I can plausibly speculate about a guy who’s been dead for over 125 years. But it seems clear that Darwin did give up God. [QUOTE=Darwin] That there is much suffering in the world no one disputes. Some have attempted to explain this in reference to man by imagining that it serves for his moral improvement. But the number of men in the world is as nothing compared with that of all other sentient beings, and these often suffer greatly without any moral improvement. A being so powerful and so full of knowledge as a God who could create the universe, is to our finite minds omnipotent and omniscient, and it revolts our understanding to suppose that his benevolence is not unbounded, for what advantage can there be in the sufferings of millions of the lower animals throughout almost endless time? This very old argument from the existence of suffering against the existence of an intelligent first cause seems to me a strong one; whereas, as just remarked, the presence of much suffering agrees well with the view that all organic beings have been developed through variation and natural selection. [/QUOTE] From [here](http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/philosophy/Charles_Darwin_quotes.html). He clearly was a believer when young. Einstein was a pantheist at best. Galileo was no doubt a believer, but the evidence against God was not yet in. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/64 "2009-12-07T23:22:52Z")
Superiority complex? My superiority is simple and readily apparent to all. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/65 "2009-12-07T23:38:48Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Galileo was no doubt a believer, but the evidence against God was not yet in. And we’re still waiting for the evidence _for_ God to be delivered. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/66 "2009-12-07T23:47:59Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > “greather” \! > > It worries me given some of the stupid things I’ve done over the years (and should have know better than to do) what those people on the other side of the bell curve are capable of. Luckily, I think most of them are at home watching Maury, So you think you can dance, Survivor, NASCAR, and Soccer, thus keeping out of trouble. Nonsense, fool. So You Think You Can Dance = good TV. The show you’re thinking of is American Idol. > [@msmith537](#): > > Having skimmed through this thread, it is clear to me the answer for a lot of people is “yes”. Well, people that chose to post, anyway. In that regard, allow me to toss my hat in the ring. I’m more educated than the general populace, I make twice the national average, and I generally lord my intelligence over those around me. I’m fun to be around, and I’m only occasionally a dick in real life. So compared the the “common folk”, yes, I’m way above them. Put me in the 70-80th percentile. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/67 "2009-12-08T00:06:49Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > And we’re still waiting for the evidence _for_ God to be delivered. 😉 I’m still waiting for the _evidence_ against God to be presented myself. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/68 "2009-12-08T00:09:18Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I’m still waiting for the _evidence_ against God to be presented myself. 😉 It’s filed right behind the evidence that unicorns never existed. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/69 "2009-12-08T00:33:57Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > It’s filed right behind the evidence that unicorns never existed. I don’t believe such evidence exists. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/70 "2009-12-08T00:39:53Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t believe such evidence exists. By your standards you’d need to present evidence that such evidence doesn’t exist. That by the way why \*your standards \*are silly. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/71 "2009-12-08T00:41:43Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t believe such evidence exists. Evidence against God, or evidence against unicorns? Well, regardless, the evidence that that evidence against God exists is filed right behind the evidence against Santa, and the evidence that the evidence against unicorns exists is filed right behind the evidence that the evidence that the evidence against bigfoot exists exists. You just have to know where to look, y’see. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/72 "2009-12-08T01:03:09Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > And we’re still waiting for the evidence _for_ God to be delivered. 😉 _ahem_ ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/73 "2009-12-08T01:03:11Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > By your standards you’d need to present evidence that such evidence doesn’t exist. > > That by the way why \*your standards \*are silly. 😃 My standards are stricter than yours. ;p ---
**Author:** ![DarrellBray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@DarrellBray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrellBray)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/74 "2009-12-08T02:11:56Z")
I recently read a study that - on average - men rate themselves as more intelligent than they are. In answer to the op, absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![kmgraves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@kmgraves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kmgraves)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/75 "2009-12-08T04:03:38Z")
Chessic Sense, please refer to the post by Half Man Half Wit ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/76 "2009-12-08T04:17:29Z")
> [@kmgraves](#): > > Do you feel that you are superior to the majority of “common folk”? Totally. It may not be accurate, but it’s what keeps me going from day to day, despite a wife who (accurately) describes it as the useless BS inculcated by my hopelessly-optimistic mother. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/77 "2009-12-08T04:37:33Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > No, but I do feel that I am superior to the elite. That’s what the elite are there for. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/78 "2009-12-08T05:14:08Z")
In some ways yes, but i make up for it by being deficient in other areas, and recognizing that I’m not really superior, just different. I try to acknowledge that in various ways, and usually more often than not, I tend to be more self-critical than I am at considering myself superior. But I’m tryin’, Ringo. I’m tryin’ real hard… ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/79 "2009-12-08T05:25:42Z")
Superiority complex? No. I am simply superior. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316/80 "2009-12-08T05:50:59Z")
I’ve met some really stupid people who were clearly convinced that they were very clever. If you’ve ever had a complete moron try to run a scam on you, you’ll know what I mean. As far as I can tell, most people are convinced that they’re smarter than average, and no amount of evidence is going to change that belief. Most people who are smart in one area are stupid in another. Me? Yes, I’m pretty clever. In some areas. But I’m also wise enough to know that I do not know it all, and that I can make mistakes just as stupid as anyone else’s. Personally I rate wisdom much higher than cleverness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-superiority-complex/520316.md?page=5)