People Who Think They're Morally & Ethically Superior Often Say 10 Phrases To Make Others Feel Small
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock Believing you're a good person is great, but having a high sense of self-worth doesn't need to be synonymous with superiority. When it is, it often comes at the expense of other people and creates all kinds of harmful, narcissistic tendencies.
People who think they're morally and ethically superior often do things and say certain phrases that make others feel small. And regardless of talent, they set themselves up for failure by doing so.
Phrases people who think they're superior often say to make others feel small
1. 'You wouldn't get it'
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People who truly believe they're smarter and better than everyone are very dismissive. They don't want to hear what anyone has to say, because being presented with information that could cause them to be wrong is a threat to their foundation of insecurity.
They believe they're smarter than everyone and can't imagine that others would be able to comprehend what they're saying. They use phrases like "you wouldn't get it" to comfort their ego, especially around people who can keep up with conversations and have truly healthy interactions.
2. 'Let me make it simple for you'
People want to feel heard and understood, so when someone uses a phrase like "let me make this simple for you," it attacks their competence and is frustrating.
Smart people try to make conversations and complex topics more digestible, in ways that can often be misunderstood, but these kinds of people are leading with superiority in mind. They don't care about being inclusive or helping people understand. They're asserting themselves as the smartest person in the room, at the expense of others.
3. 'I'm sorry you feel that way'
Shifting blame onto other people and avoiding accountability are behaviors of a narcissist. They can't be wrong because being right is so foundational to their inner security. So, they'll do whatever it takes to take control of other people and change the narrative.
Most don't even believe they do wrong, especially if someone's hurt was caused by unintentional behaviors or words. "I'm sorry you feel that way" is just an example of how they make people feel unheard and unseen.
4. 'You'd never catch me doing something like that'
When someone indicates that their morals are better than someone else's, it can cause disconnection and tension. Today, most people are protective of their values because they're intertwined with their identity and experience.
That's why open-minded conversations and empathetic interactions are so essential, because making someone feel bad about these values only pits people against each other. But someone with a superiority complex doesn't want to understand people. They just want to assert themselves as "the best" or "the smartest" person in the room, and make others feel unimportant.
5. 'I care about doing the right thing'
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On paper, a phrase like this seems harmless, but when it's used to attack someone with a differing opinion that doesn't align with their own, it reveals that someone thinks they're morally or ethically superior.
They frame their own morals as good, and when someone doesn't agree with them, they make an effort to frame theirs as bad. There's no understanding, and certainly no productive interactions or conversations. There's only right and wrong, and they're interested in proving themselves as correct.
6. 'I actually did my research, so'
Phrases like this assume that everyone else is uninformed just because their opinions or beliefs are different. Someone who thinks they're better than others tries to justify their values as the right ones, but doesn't realize that there's so much grey area.
This is exactly the kind of phrase that shuts down the conversations that would solve polarization. When we're not open to hearing other opinions and beliefs, and just assume the worst of someone with a different perspective, we put everyone at risk.
7. 'I just have higher standards'
Just because someone has different beliefs or perspectives, it doesn't mean they have lower standards. They prioritize and value different things, and that's not always bad.
However, to someone who places all their value in being right, they have to cling to phrases like "I have higher standards" to feel secure. Changing their minds and making space for other people puts their fragile ego at risk of being challenged, even though these are the kinds of things that well-educated people do every day.
8. 'It's really not hard'
Making someone feel incompetent is the quickest way to shut down conversations and positive interactions. When someone feels attacked or misunderstood, they often walk away or immediately get defensive.
Someone who needs to be right relies on these tactics, because it makes their ego feel better when someone doesn't challenge them. But in the long run, they're sabotaging their space to grow and build connections with people on both sides of the aisle on any issue.
9. 'Younger generations just don't get it'
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People with all kinds of different opinions and perspectives find themselves in disagreements daily. And there's an added layer of generational tension that can quickly make people feel small and dismissed.
For younger generations constantly dealing with myths about their character, hearing a phrase like this is rarely taken lightly. With someone who feels superior, especially if they're older than the person they're speaking with, these kinds of comments can be demeaning.
10. 'I'm trying to educate you'
When someone believes they're right all the time, they're usually patronizing by nature. They take on the role of leader and teacher, even when they weren't offered it or aren't sharing the kind of knowledge that people are interested in hearing.
Educating someone on what their morals and ethics should be, especially without knowing their situation or taking the time to understand their perspective, is rude. It's also misguided, considering that our personal values are shaped by our own experiences, not necessarily being right or having the correct opinion.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
