Atoke’s Monday Morning Banter: I Better Pass My Neighbour

I know I want to write about superiority complex.
I know I can’t make the clock stop ticking so loudly.
I know I have been staring at my computer and blank sheet for the past 4 hours.

They say write. The best way to break out of the writer’s block is to just put the words together. One. After. The. Other.

So, that is what I will attempt to do. Hopefully, by the end of this, I’ll get into the swing of what I want to do.
Maybe I’ll start by thinking of a title for the piece; maybe that will give me direction.

“I Better Pass my Neighbour”
“Self Assured or Just Proud?”
“The Superiority Complex”

No. Just. Write

I was not yet 14 when my father visited the house in Ilorin, took one look at me and said: “are you really not going to grow taller than this?”
I was gutted as the first pronouncement as to my shortness was made. Everything I did thereafter was as a result of the fact that I was always the shortest person in the room. I interpreted this in some convoluted way, to mean that I was nothing, and invisible. I’d have a good idea but never say it loud enough for it to be credited to me, for fear of it being rejected. I’d get irrationally upset at being ignored by my peers and try to overly compensate by doing something ridiculous.

Some people call it “Short Man Syndrome”; but I believe it was largely inferiority complex. It’s not a really nice thing to have… trust me. I lived with that little demon for way too long.

The flip side of it, isn’t all that great either. You see, the superiority complex is that thing which makes you act all uppity and superior as a mask for your insecurities. The superiority complex is that little chip on your shoulder, which helps you walk in an up-in-the-air bubble. It’s the “I Better Pass My Neighbour” syndrome.

But is there anything wrong in being proud of what you have, or what you have achieved? Is being proud of your successes really a bad thing? Besides, the motivational speakers keep telling us everyday: “Keep your head high. Celebrate your milestones. Showcase your victories”
It almost feels like damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. So how does one straddle the line between the good and the bad side of being superior?

We live in a society when superiority is encouraged and embraced.
“My chairman Sir. I remain loyal to your government”
“I fly first class, do you?”
“You call yourself a Tiv woman and you can’t even speak the language, like I do”

Or is it the choice of words that makes it bad? “Self assured and confident” versus “Proud and obnoxious”.

Someone once said, that in an interview, there’s nothing wrong with showing off your good points. Besides, if you don’t sell yourself, who will? Or something like that.

Can you feel me literally running out of juice? But I really want to talk about this. Guys… I got nothing today. Help me. It’s not coming, but I don’t want to break my almost three-year non-stop record!

*Weeps*

I don’t!

Maybe it’s time to end Banter?
Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe.

They lied. Writers block does exist, and today, it has slammed me right across the head.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime | Racorn