Understanding the Layers Behind Arrogance: A Reflection on a person's Behavior

In the course of our professional or personal journeys, we often encounter a wide range of personalities—each shaped by unique experiences, cultures, and perspectives. I accidentally met one such personality, a 55-year-old man with a degree in chemical engineering, but a narrow-minded, irreverent, who carries himself with a strong sense of certainty. His views, at least from his perspective, are always the "right" ones, as though his actions and beliefs are beyond question. Over time, I've noticed an undercurrent of disdain in his behavior, particularly towards a certain group of people often laced with cultural jabs that seem to reveal something deeper.

One of his favorite quips involves mocking them with the remark that they walk around with “the cakes on their heads.” It’s a strange, almost humorous image—until you look past the surface and see the cultural ignorance, if not a hint of jealousy, embedded in his words. This kind of remark doesn't just come out of nowhere. It's born from a place of irritation or even frustration—perhaps reflecting his own struggles rather than anything about the people he ridicules.

The more I observe this behavior, the more I start to wonder: is there something deeper going on here? Could his arrogance and outspoken disdain be a mask for insecurity or an unfulfilled sense of self? It’s possible that this disdain for others, is rooted in his own feelings of inadequacy or a sense of missed opportunities. Maybe he’s facing the realization that his life—personally or professionally—has not reached the heights he once envisioned. And when faced with the success or qualities of others or whatever, particularly those from different cultural backgrounds, he responds with bitterness rather than introspection. He exhibits a tendency to belittle and dismiss the efforts of others, often disregarding and distrusted their expertise and perspectives. His arrogance, rooted in the belief that he knows everything, consistently manifests in both his words and actions.

It’s a complex situation, one that requires more than just judgment. While his behavior is often abrasive and his remarks cutting, it’s important to remember that arrogance often hides vulnerability. His bold assertions of being "right" may be a way to protect himself from confronting those inner struggles. The louder the confidence, the more it can mask the quiet insecurities beneath.

By understanding this, I find a sense of empathy creeping in. Like many of us, he might be grappling with his own disappointments, his own sense of not being "enough" in a world that constantly demands more. His need to assert his superiority might just be a defense mechanism against feeling inferior or left behind.

In recognizing this, it doesn’t mean excusing his behavior, but it does help me approach him with a different perspective. I feel both pity and sympathy for him. Instead of meeting his arrogance with frustration, I can remind myself that behind every outburst or cultural jab lies a person who is, at the core, struggling with something deeper. And sometimes, the hardest thing for people like him is to admit that vulnerability.

Perhaps that’s the lesson we can all take from dealing with such personalities—understanding that the loudest voices are often the most fragile, and the boldest behaviors often conceal the deepest insecurities.

Disclaimer: If we do not plant knowledge and reverence when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.