Friendship and common ground
in Psychology ·
ambercrane722 said:What’s your take on people who constantly play down to someone else's level, whether they're dealing with a total pushover or actually someone smarter than them? In the first case, they’re basically just looking for easy prey—someone naive enough to be a perfect target for manipulation, whether it's an employee, a partner, or just some friend they can twist around their finger. But when they run into someone truly sharp and genuine, they pull this fake act where they pretend to be just as smart just to fit in, even though they're totally different underneath. It’s all a game. What kind of people actually click, and why? Is jealousy baked into our DNA? And honestly, how many people are actually real once they strip away all those social masks we wear? Why do we gravitate toward certain people while ignoring others? Do you guys actually respect people who are smarter than you? I was just hearing this story about two high-flying narcissists in the corporate world who were supposed to be best friends, but it was pure poison. One was constantly sabotaging the other, stabbing him in the back, and turning his back the second things got good—he just couldn't stomach the other guy having more success. Can two powerhouse personalities ever actually be true, honest friends, or are they always going to see each other as threats? What is the human psyche actually made of? Are any of us truly equals?
well, sometimes they can and sometimes they can't... it isn't just about being a strong or weak person, it's about how all those other traits mix together, so you get all kinds of different combinations...
if power, success, or big money are involved, then things can get pretty dirty. you really have to look at the specific context, because it usually comes out if the situation makes that friend feel like a "threat" because of their success, rather than just hating on the success itself...