Procrustes Syndrome
Procrustes Syndrome refers to those people who belittle others who outshine them in terms of talent or ability. What’s worse, they often have no qualms in discriminating against them or even tormenting them. It concerns individuals who are neither getting ahead nor letting others get ahead. They have frustrated personalities with over-inflated egos – people we encounter in many of the environments we find ourselves in.
In this precise moment, it is very likely that a name, or maybe more than one, has popped into our minds. It is also necessary to add that this type of person –often unfortunately drawn from real-life events – has inspired multiple book and cinema plots, and it is understandable: you could say that they represent the classical antagonist that we find in any academic, working or family environment and far outnumber those who we would commonly define as ‘social climbers’.
“Procrustes – if you excel, I’ll cut off your legs. If you show yourself as better than me, I’ll cut off your head…”
– Greek Mythology –
In the same way, it is interesting to know that, although Procrustes Syndrome does not appear in any diagnostic manual or have any clinical importance, it perfectly describes what psychologists would term “negative competitiveness”. In other words, hostilely getting rid of the most brilliant people and obstructing the most knowledgeable due to sheer intolerance or pure egotism. Nothing is worse for these people than seeing themselves outshined by others in any aspect, even if it is truly irrelevant.
The myth of Procrustes
Despite the fact that the myth of Procrustes is not very well known, it is necessary to say that it is undoubtedly one of the grimmest and most terrible. Greek mythology tells us that this character owned a tavern which he managed in the Attica hills. There, he offered accommodation to wayfarers. However, behind that friendly beard and roof promising rest and comfort, he hid a macabre secret.
Procrustes owned a bed that he invited travellers to sleep in. During the night, he took advantage of the fact that the unfortunate victims were sleeping, gagging them and tying them up. If the victim was tall and his feet, head and feet hung off the side of the bed, he would cut them off. If the person was short, he would stretch them, breaking their bones so that they would fit.
This dark character carried out his macabre actions for years until, one day, a very special man arrived: Theseus. As we already know, this hero had become famous for having fought the Minotaur on the island of Crete and as a result thus becoming the king of Athens. The myth says that, when Theseus discovered what sadistic acts occurred at night, he decided to subject Procrustes to the same agony as his victims.
From this tale the following warning, almost proverb-like, was born: “Be careful, there are people who, when they see that you have different ideas or that you’re more brilliant than them, won’t think twice about putting you on Procrustes’ bed”.
How do people with Procrustes Syndrome behave?
It is obvious that in our daily lives no one makes use of the same violence as the mythological Procrustes. Rather, it manifests itself in a hidden aggressiveness that we experience all too often in sport, political and working environments. We all know that the most important roles within an organisation are not always given to the most capable or knowledgeable.
When a brilliant, dynamic, and creative person arrives, capable of outshining them in more than just one aspect, people with this syndrome do not hesitate to think up a multitude of strategies and cowardly deceptions to cancel out, humiliate and relegate them to indifference where they no longer represent a risk. It is a threat capable of tearing down their little world of incompetence and mediocrity.
Characteristics of people with Procrustes Syndrome
– They are people who live in a constant state of frustration and have little sense of control.
– They may have very low or, on the other hand, exagerated and boundless self-esteem.
– They are very sensitive on an emotional level: they interpret every situation in which they are compared to others or others’ abilities as an insult.
– At the same time, they usually try and sell us the idea of their being kind and valuing teamwork – however, behind their words lie real egocentricity and an extremely rigid and hostile way of thinking.
– They often want to take on every task. Their level of competitiveness has a single objective: excelling with respect to others.
– They fear change, something that is undoubtedly very widespread in companies headed by traditional, non-resourceful leaders who interpret every small change as a significant threat.
– They arrive at irrational conclusions. If, for example, we complete a task that could benefit the company, they see it as an error, stupidity or an idea with no value.
– People with Procrustes Syndrome use all their energy to limit the abilities of others: destroying dreams, ruining hopes – they are psychological manipulators and masters in hidden aggressiveness.
– Last but not least important, it should be added that they do not think twice about manipulating others and exploiting their complicity to “get rid of” those who stand out.
We must escape from the cages built by people affected by Procrustes Syndrome
When we find ourselves surrounded by complicated people with specific disorders, conducts and behaviours that we consider harmful, we are almost always told to “learn to understand them first and then to manage them.”
“Talent is quite common. It is not intelligence that is scarce, but constance” – Doris Lessing
In this case, and when we talk about individuals that personify the most toxic and threatening levels of Procrustes Syndrome, the best thing to do is to distance ourselves. We must not forget that talent does not agree with threats or rigid and harmful power.
“Negative competitiveness” goes far beyond simple competition. When it becomes an attack, when we have a manager or family member that constantly obstructs us in order to humiliate and cancel us out, it becomes necessary to take the initiative and close that door. Sometimes, it is specifically that moment when we should go forward and look for environments that allow us to fully realise ourselves using our talent.
It is also necessary to remember that, despite the fact that our daily lives teem with examples of Procrustes Syndrome, under no circumstances should we bow down to them. We are all born to excel in something, we should strengthen our abilities and find the best place to make the most of these opportunities!
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