Friday, October 5, 2012

Crab Mentality and Ways To Cope

Crab Mentality and Ways To Cope

The phrase crab mentality is one that many of us are familiar with, or have fallen victim too. It is a mental mindset that best describes individuals who possess a selfish, short-sighted way of seeing the world.

It’s basically saying, “If I can’t have it, neither should you.” Normally, it is not a compliment to an individual’s character or personality if they are referred to having a crab mentality; it is actually something that a lot of us would see as being an insult.

The phrase derived from what occurs when you place several crabs in one container. If one crab attempts to escape a bucket of live crabs, the other crabs will attempt to pull it back down, rather than allowing the crab whom is trying to escape  to gain its freedom.

The process, if you ever get the chance to watch at times seems underhanded, because the crabs at the bottom of the container will allow the one crab to get almost to the top and getting a sight of its freedom, before snagging it back down; just to start the process all over again.

The crabs are oblivious to the fact that eventually they all will meet their fate and that not even one of them would ever see or feel freedom ever again; which I imagine is of no concern to them.


Crab Mentality


When a person is said to have a crab mentality, it simply means they are unwilling to allow someone else to escape a situation, are plagued with jealousy and envy, or possess the need to stop the successful progress of another.
In the mental mindset of someone who has a crab mentality, their train of thought is to sabotage another persons plan for attempting to leave a life that may not have rendered the other individual any good whatsoever. That is simply of no concern to the crabbily individuals.

Instead of using their resources or simple encouragement to help advance other’s; they would rather not lend any support at all.

Sometimes even going as far as to trying to break the person spirit or means of advancement altogether, by talking negatively about the person or insulting the individual’s self-worth.  They ever go through the extremes of criticizing any attempts one might have towards self-betterment.

There is no age cap on this type of mentality; it’s in every gender, and every race, and in every social standing. It’s found in our jobs, our schools, our homes, and yes even in the blog world. I have found that a lot of times, those who are guilty of the mentality, deny that they even have it at all.

It’s the inability to be happy for someone else that is taking the necessary steps to move forward; instead, that person is classified as, “trying to be better”, “trying to be like someone else”, or “trying to be something that they are not.” It never registers to the crab mentality holder that the person, maybe just wants to better themselves.
So below I’ve come up with some easy fixes to cope with those who possess such foolishness.

Ways to Cope with Crab Mentality

When handling a person that has a crab mentality you must first see them for who they really are. And, you’ll be able to pinpoint them easily; they truly can’t help exposing themselves.

You tell them a dream that you have or a goal that you’re trying to reach; and they tear it into little bitty pieces, as though your dreams was paper and they were paper shredders.

After you know the truth about these individuals and have placed them in the category of having a “crab mentality”, you then should protect your dreams and goals from these individuals.

They can’t tear up, what they don’t know about, right?

Place those gems (your dreams and goals) only in people who believe you can achieve what you’re setting out to do. They will in turn give you insight, encouragement, and inspiration to reach those things you wish to obtain.

After you have categorized these individuals you should then steer clear of them…. all of them!
Not forever if that’s not what you’re able to do, but for as long as you can until your gems take shape and you’re able to be around them without them influencing your progress.

Lastly, keep your eyes open and avoid having the mentality yourself. Since no one is exempt from practicing this selfish behavior, you should look for the first sign of you possessing the trait and eliminate it immediately.

By supporting someone else’s dream or helping them to reach their goal, you may just find that you have actually helped yourself to get little bit closer to reaching your own.

Let’s discuss now, shall we? 

Have you ever had to deal with someone who possessed a crab mentality? 

How did you handle the individual? 

What advice would you give to other’s who may have found themselves surrounded by individuals who see their personal growth as trying to be better?






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