Aristotle Complex: Feeling Better Than Others

The Aristotle complex is not a disorder defined as such in the context of psychology or psychiatry. More than anything else, it is a set of characteristics that popular culture has recognized as “complex” in a colloquial way. Basically, the Aristotle complex describes those people who are convinced that they are always right.

The word “complex” derives from the Latin complexus and refers to a concept composed of various elements. Similarly, in psychology a condition is defined as “complex” for which there are different personality criteria that cause difficulties for the individual in question.

The main characteristic of someone who has a complex is not being aware of it. The person does not realize that they have a disorder and, if they notice it, they interpret it differently. For example, he thinks he is normal or that he has valid reasons to behave that way. Let us now see what the Aristotle complex consists of.

Aristotle, an obstinate philosopher

Aristotle was undoubtedly one of the greatest philosophers of all time. He lived between 384 and 322 BC, in the age of classical Greece. His thought and doctrine are so important that they still influence philosophy and the human and biological sciences today.

Aristotle was a pupil of Plato, another great Greek philosopher, father of metaphysics. He followed his teacher everywhere and was a brilliant student. Plato held him in high esteem until things began to change.

As Aristotle developed his philosophical doctrine and gained notoriety, he began to distance himself from his teacher. He also distanced himself from his teachings, which Plato did not take kindly to.

Over time, Aristotle claimed that Plato’s speeches lacked foundation. Many criticized him for this attitude, considering it an act of disloyalty and pride. It wasn’t a big deal, but by now Aristotle had acquired that fame.

The Aristotle complex

On the basis of some episodes of ancient history, some began to speak of the “Aristotle complex” to refer to all those people who are convinced that they are better than others and that they are always right. It is a different concept from the superiority complex because the latter is more linked to emotions and image, while Aristotle’s refers to the intellectual dimension.

Those who have the Aristotle complex have an obsession with wanting to surpass others from a cognitive and intellectual point of view. These people engage in long disputes, with no other purpose than to prove that they are smarter, more alert, and more educated than others. They always test the beliefs of others to the point of sparking a controversy, perhaps even in public.

Obviously, an individual with this complex believes that he is always right, but that is not the most important thing for him. Above all, he is interested in imposing his point of view on others and being seen as a particularly intelligent person.

Complexes lead to nothing good

In the case of the Aristotle complex, we can read a sort of unsurpassed adolescence. In this phase it is crucial for a boy to test his ideas and, above all, to confront and demonstrate the scarce validity of what others think, in particular the authoritarian figures. This attitude, sometimes very annoying for adults, is a way that young people use to build and reaffirm their identity.

In adolescents, as well as in any person with Aristotle’s complex, the underlying problem is great insecurity. The desire to be right and to impose one’s point of view on others is nothing more than a sign of doubt and uncertainty. These people want to trample on other ways of seeing reality because they fear them, they believe that they endanger their point of view, so they do not tolerate it.

The Aristotle complex is a problem of self-esteem or, if you like, of narcissism. The person in question gives himself too much value and too much importance, with the unconscious aim of balancing a feeling of inferiority. Like those animals who attack to appear more intimidating when they feel they are in danger. However, this exaggerated narcissism over time will only lead to serious difficulties.