Some of us think that they are better than everybody else. Being the superior beings that they are, they see no need to give poor mortals like us any attention and treat us like the underdeveloped nuisances they see us as. Surprisingly, such specimens can be found in all the social layers, offending their way through life while exercising their God-given right to do whatever they see fit. They seem to be filling their ranks more efficiently these days. We see the famous ones on TV, on the internet, and in newspapers. We all know what they are and everybody can name at least one. Some display a “holier than thou” attitude, some know everything, some think we live in the stone age where only the strongest survive and some just don’t give a damn about anything except what they are interested in. I’m talking about a-holes, a special group of poor interpersonally adapted men and women (paradoxically well socially integrated) who use questionable methods to interact with others and set themselves apart from the rest. These individuals walk among us and go about their daily lives differently than most people. Where do they come from and what makes them act in such an uncooperative and borderline belligerent manner?
I would argue that it all starts in the early childhood, in the formative years, where children with a stubborn-oriented personality receive improper education or are left in groups where being hard-headed, is the only way to get through to others. The children learn that the attitude used when conveying a message is more important than the message. That in itself is not bad. However, what they learn from older a-holes is that an aggressive, primitive attitude yields results faster than trying to convince someone by way of logic. Observing only the short-term results and success of this demeanor, the child decides to make this approach his/her main method of interaction. Through repetition of the a-hole mantra, practical exercises and integration in an a-hole-led group, governed by fierce competition and culling of the weak, the child learns to be extra-stubborn, critique-resistant and set in his ways (graciously taught to him by those he looks up to, who are more experienced).
What is the a-hole mantra? In reality, it is just a term I made up, used to substitute a set of values for this social subset of humans. A-holes value imposing their will on others above anything else. That is the cornerstone of their set of beliefs; dominating others, just like in the animal kingdom, equals value and social status. Relating that to their brain development, I’d say they are more closely related to apes than modern man, judging by the use of different forms of violence to reach higher up that social ladder. The goal justifies the shady means, reaching that makes them feel truly alive and is the ultimate high for these people, signifying the end of their training period and the emergence of a fully-fledged, adequately-equipped a-hole.
The actions of an a-hole give him instant rewards in the form of pleasure. The fact that he has little to no compassion for his fellow man allows him to feel good as long as he dominates, even if the person in front of him is in distress or pain. They consider empathy a sign of weakness and steel themselves in front of a situation where showing emotion is the natural reaction. The only thing that matters is that they are seen as Alpha males or females by a group of people that is as large as possible. Their instincts dominate their higher brain functions and they act accordingly.
Here are some common forms of a-holes:
- The “I play my music as loud as I can with my windows down at a stoplight” a-hole;
- The “I honk my horn 0.3 seconds after the green light comes on” a-hole;
- The “I drive a luxury car so traffic rules don’t apply to me” a-hole;
- The talk loudly on the phone while holding it funny although nobody wants to hear a-hole;
- The “I roll my eyes at what you say so deep into my sockets I look like I’m possessed” a-hole;
- The in your face aggressive woman A-hole although you are a much stronger man;
- The inappropriate comment to women on the street because I am such a macho a-hole;
- The more tattoos than brains bulky brute a-hole;
- The Slavic Adidas undies-wearing a-hole;
- The more Bling than his body weight a-hole;
- The “I always have a better story than yours” a-hole;
- The “I have no concept of personal space,” in your face talking a-hole;
- The CDC chemical level perfumed a-hole;
- The “I am mad, so nobody can have fun” a-hole;
- The “I tell bad jokes and then laugh while insistently looking in your eyes so you’ll have to laugh with me” a-hole;
- The “my sunglasses cover 70% of my face” a-hole;
- The “I wear dark-tinted glasses indoors at night” a-hole;
- The “I sin all week but then go to church every Sunday” a-hole;
- The “I chew with my mouth open and spit food in people’s faces while I speak” a-hole;
- The “I meddle in your personal life because I am your boss” a-hole;
- The “I treat you like a douche because you refused to do me a favor although we barely ever spoke” a-hole;
- The “I walk into a room like a cowboy with armpit rash, staring everybody down” a-hole;
- The “I tell you stories about how I killed little animals when I was a kid and then start laughing at the good old times” a-hole;(I could go on and on, but you get the point)
