When did people start hating high quality Americans?

[ramairthree]

A few conservations with some colleagues went over the familiar ground of dumb people not knowing they are stupid, and shifted into people thinking they are hot shit because they are above average, but not exceptional.

Like, we understand people being too dumb to not know they are dumb.
But smart people should be smart enough to know they are not awesome.

I used to be in a very, very high quality density environment.

We all used examples of things.
Like, people saying “my IQ based on ... always over 98th percentile, on one test 99.5th percentile, but I have been around people I am in awe of”,
Or “around 35 years old, I could get up to 350 on the bench, but that is nothing for a mediocre power lifter smaller than me”,
Or, “yeah, I was starting quarterback, but at a service academy, I would never have made it to summer camp in the pros”

Basically, everyone was very cognizant of not letting things go to there head. And there was no jealously of the guys that stood out among super stars.

A decade later, there seems to be more resentment and even hatred.
I was telling a current colleague, “some guys are just super high quality. I went to a dive course with a guy, he graduated West Point, medical school, Ranger School, SFAS, and is now an astronaut”
They said “oh, ones of those guys great on paper”
After saying they were very good and high quality, not just on paper, they did not believe it.

I was telling some other colleagues about a naval academy grad, SEAL, that became a trauma surgeon. They were like “I bet he was a real asshole”
I was like, no, he’s a great dude,
And they brainstormed all the reasons he was not.

It’s almost like,
People like that are no longer role models.
There is something wrong with them.

[Dist. Expert 26]

That goes right along with the "trophy for everyone" mentality. We're all supposedly equal in every way, and pointing out that some people are all around better just isn't acceptable.

[Lnxgeek]

Kurt Vonnegut was clued in to this since the 60s:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron

[26 Inf]

Could it be that they are trying to shut down the conversation because they aren't interested?

If so, they aren't very adept, as there are a lot less offensive ways to change subjects or end conversations.

[ramairthree]

Could it be that they are trying to shut down the conversation because they aren't interested?

If so, they aren't very adept, as there are a lot less offensive ways to change subjects or end conversations.

Nope.
These recent conversations about poorly functioning humans and the massive gap of individual capability were initiated by them.

[Dienekes]

I recently stumbled over this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Jante

The ten rules state:

You're not to think you are anything special.
You're not to think you are as good as we are.
You're not to think you are smarter than we are.
You're not to imagine yourself better than we are.
You're not to think you know more than we do.
You're not to think you are more important than we are.
You're not to think you are good at anything.
You're not to laugh at us.
You're not to think anyone cares about you.
You're not to think you can teach us anything.
These ten principles or commandments are often claimed to form the "Jante's Shield" of the Scandinavian people.

In the book, the Janters who transgress this unwritten 'law' are regarded with suspicion and some hostility, as it goes against the town's communal desire to preserve harmony, social stability and uniformity.

An eleventh rule recognised in the novel as 'the penal code of Jante' is:

Perhaps you don't think we know a few things about you?

This was discussed in a 1933 novel by a Danish writer, Axel Sandemose, in his book, “A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks”. The book is hard to find for some reason.

Probably burned by the Progressive Brownshirts.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I read some article about Andre Aggasi and how in his book 'Open' he talks about his drive. I guess at one point in the late 90s(?) he fell hard and was doing crappy tournaments with like $3000 prizes. He sucked.

“Unless I can accept that I’m where I’m supposed to be, I’ll never belong there again.” For Agassi, “there” was the finals of Grand Slam...

The first step in high performance is realizing that aren't high performing.

Heck, that isn't even just about high performance. That is about reaching any goal. I was talking to my boss the other month about where we are know and my comment was, "It's amazing what happens when you keep your head down and you work hard for a decade."

Like Dory said, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming....".

Too many people don't even get in the pool... others couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat.

[26 Inf]

double tap

[Doc Safari]

Someone asked me if I like Kipling.

I said, "I don't know. I've never kippled."

[militarymoron]

To the OP's question, I think it's just jealousy/sour grapes. I'm typically around pretty smart people, and haven't seen an increase in resentment towards the exceptionally high performers over time. There are always those who will think that everyone who's a high achiever was handed their opportunities, rather than working for them, but I find them rare among the smart-not-awesome people I know (of which I consider myself to one of, lol).

Someone asked me if I like Kipling.

I said, "I don't know. I've never kippled."

Me neither - I think they only make stuff for women: https://www.kipling.com/int/

(j/k - Kipling is one of my favourite authors. My dad used to read 'Just so stories' to me when I was a kid. It gave me great pleasure to read the exact same copy of that book to my son, years later.)