Exploring Methods of M, M, C, A, & Aggrandizing the Self [HW #31]

Part A
Me asking my cousin for this assignment isn't the first time I've blown off his cover. He has always had a tendency to criticize- to trash talk people. So me asking him about how he aggrandizes himself is actually just a revival of a previous discussion. And as expected, he repeated his response: "I don't know. Cause it's fun." Of course, this wasn't the reason he does what he does. I knew, because people who have fun usually don't glare at other people while doing it. Trying to be as nice as possible, hoping to not make this conversation into an argument, I asked: "Well, do you think there's another reason why you do it? I'm not saying that you do it, but there are other people who do it as a way to make themselves seem better." He replied, "I know I'm not better than everyone else." He went on about the only reason he does it is because it's fun, and how it's funny to see people's reactions.

I think that this method of aggrandizing is not to make yourself bigger, but just appear bigger compared to all those people you crush. You point out people's flaws and emphasize on them, to turn that flaw into their identity. By doing so, you're making yourself seem like an overall better person. Just the act of criticizing someone demonstrates that you view yourself as superior. You are able to analyze someone at a distance, implying that whatever critique you make does not apply to you.

Part B
Similar to my cousin, I criticize people as well (more subtly though). However, unlike my cousin, I don't openly criticize people. I make judgments and, for the msot part, I keep it to myself. I psychoanalyze, at least try to, people and try to determine their mental and behavioral pattern. Even in me trying to blow off my cousins mask through Part A, I am portraying myself as the more superior one. Of course, my defense would be that I "read" people because that is what I value, and my interest. It's "just who I am." But of course, it is a skill that I find impressive, and think other people would find impressive (and therefore find me smart). In fact, the main reason why I even started to try to psychoanalyze was because I saw my dad doing it. I thought it was impressive how he could just understand and predict people, so I began looking for patterns in people, trying to do the same.

In the same way that my cousin was criticizing and distancing himself from other people, I am doing the same. By me reading people, it is like I am the judge, and everyone is my subject. Although, on the surface I am not making myself stand out, mentally, I am aggrandizing myself- making myself at a different level than everyone else.

Another method that I follow is engaging in physical activities, such as handball. In the words of my cousin, one of the reasons why I play handball is "cause it's fun." But that it not the only reason. When you're playing handball, or any other sport, you're in a world that only has up to 4 people in it (more than 4, if you're talking about other sports- but still a limited number). And by playing, you are amongst that small number. For the brief moment that I play handball, it's like I am the star of this world. And if I do something impressive, it would be acknowledged by the other people playing, and the other people on the sidelines, waiting for their turn to shine. Handball players are, of course, not significant in society or in the bigger picture (according to most people). But we become significant when we're in the courts, at least to each other.

And with not that many people in our school playing handball, I am acknowledged as, the kid who plays handball. It is a role that isn't played by that many students in SOF. So even just by me playing handball, I am somewhat significant because I play a role that is only occupied by me, and maybe a few others.