We can tell a lot about a person by their social media feeds — not just by what they post, but from the subtext we see in their posting habits and the content they share. For example, we can usually tell when a couple’s relationship is on the rocks when they suddenly start posting romantic photos of themselves after years of selfies. Similarly, if a person has a raging inferiority complex, their social media feeds will incorporate many (if not most) of the traits listed below.
1. They only seem to own brand names and items that are currently “viral.”
Whereas you’re likely scrolling social media while wearing your favorite hoodie and PJ pants, everything they own seems to be high-status, brand-name viralware. They’ll post photos of themselves casually flouncing around in Balenciaga or Free People while sipping an organic smoothie from one of their limited edition Stanley Cup collectibles. According to Neurolaunch, this is all social signalling that implies wealth and status, with the intention of inspiring admiration in others. They are desperate to be liked and adored.
There is very little around these people that has history or uniqueness in any way. They’ll flaunt the latest craze with great enthusiasm, mentioning how much they paid for it and how exclusive it is. In contrast, the cute vintage item they picked up at a thrift shop that made their heart happy remains hidden away so nobody can mock them for it.
2. They mostly follow and share prestigious influencers and celebrities.
Most of us have encountered people who name-drop constantly in an attempt to attain status by proxy. When it comes to their social media feeds, they’ll share, repost, or tag celebrities or famous influencers in an attempt to capture their attention, and then go into full-on worshipper mode if said famous person deigns to grace them with a response.
According to The London Magazine, this type of behavior often happens on social media because one cannot tell a person’s social rank by their appearance anymore. In the past, you could tell whether someone was “important” or not, based on the fabrics and colors they wore, or whether they rode a horse or in a carriage. Now, people with inferiority complexes who need to be perceived as important have to signal that in different ways, such as by associating with the rich and famous.
3. Boastful posts about the amazing things they think they discovered or invented.
Not too long ago, I saw a TikTok video in which a young woman in her early twenties was lauding the benefits of “water-based cooking”. In it, she boasted about how she discovered that she could cook food with water instead of oil, drawing nutrients out of the food into the hot water while simultaneously cooking it. Her legion of sycophantic followers praised her for this discovery, insisting that they’ll be jumping on this steamy bandwagon immediately.
Apparently, even though humans have been boiling food for thousands (possibly even millions) of years, she truly believed that she was the first to discover how to make soup.
Those who post things like this generally only want to hear murmurings of praise and admiration. Any comments that fall outside those categories, such as those implying that these people didn’t actually invent anything new, will be labeled as “hate” or deleted.
4. Most of their content revolves around success and “the hustle.”
Their “I woke up like this” morning selfies have soft light and focus, with a breathtaking view of the Amalfi coast in the background. A photo of their adorable pet will feature their artfully curated, color-coded bookshelves, which are packed with impressive titles by Plato, Nietzsche, Tolstoy, etc. — all of which they’ve achieved via “the hustle” that they dedicate 23.5 hours a day to, of course. They don’t need sleep: their unbridled success is due to their diligence, effective time management, and kale smoothies.
They don’t share any posts that show them in a negative light. Instead, they cultivate the illusion that they lead a flawless, ideal life, to inspire admiration from others. Ideally, they want to be the influencer that others dream of becoming, but what they share on a daily basis is often far from reality.
5. Constant “glow up” and “progress” photos and reels.
They’re either on personal wellness journeys or are otherwise documenting their evolution, and need others to keep telling them how amazingly they’re doing. One might be in the process of turning their home into a fairy castle while another is transforming their body into a Warhammer 40k Space Marine — all of which is completely effortless, of course.
They don’t mention how much money they’re pouring into their chosen pursuit, nor are they documenting the effort, pain, sleepless nights, etc. that go along with attaining their goal. They simply show off progress like it’s nothing, and post new images every few days to maintain the dopamine hits from the comments they receive.
6. They regularly publish “reassurance bait” for engagement.
Their posts might show them in the most flattering, amazing light imaginable, but they’ll act vulnerable and sad because they feel ugly or worthless, and could use some kind words to help them in their struggle.
They may seem like they’re being genuine, but it’s often just fakery. In reality, they usually aren’t struggling at all: they just use this approach when engagement traffic has slowed and their usual posts aren’t giving them the energy they’re seeking. As such, they switch things up by showing themselves as “raw and flawed” so their adoring minions will reassure them that they really are amazing and loved.
7. Motivational or coaching content with little life experience behind it.
Many people want others to admire them for their insight and guidance, but they haven’t accrued enough experience to earn it. Those who fall into this category will talk about the intense personal development they’ve gone through and how much they can help others attain theirs, but the worst hardship they’ve endured was having to share a bathroom in the Nepalese ashram they attended for a couple of weeks.
They seem desperate to be admired and turned to as wise, loving leaders on their chosen paths, but want to bypass the very real lived experience they’ll need to truly be able to help others. To do otherwise is like offering parenting advice without ever having been a parent: their guidance has no basis in real-life experience, and thus holds no water.
8. Routines for immaculate skincare and exercise… but they’re under 25.
People like this often cultivate the illusion of flawlessness, with tips for others about how they can achieve it as well. Much like with the coaching mentioned above, people who share fitness and beauty tips without ever having been unfit, nor having had any dermatological issues like acne or wrinkles to contend with, are aiming for baseless admiration and renown instead of being truly helpful.
They may not have gotten much attention from those they were interested in romantically in the past, and are now cultivating a persona of beauty and fitness to gain attention from others. The more admiration they receive, the less inferior and unwanted they feel.
Final thoughts…
Countless factors may be contributing to someone’s inferiority complex. Most commonly, they aren’t getting enough attention or approval from those close to them, so they seek out attention and validation from strangers. Alternatively, they may have grown up poor or with low social standing in the community, and now go above and beyond to be seen and appreciated as special and high-status. Although it’s important to understand their motivations, it’s also important to protect yourself.
If you ever feel like someone is hurting you to feel better about themselves, there’s always the “block” button. Don’t be afraid to use it.
