The worse self-esteem, the greater fanaticism

Human beings are a gregarious species. In other words, since ancient times we have lived in community. For that reason, I think that trying to understand how the brain works by separating it from culture and society to which it belongs is as artificial and absurd as trying to study the habits of a fish by removing it from Water. We are social beings, our identity is built in part based on the gaze of others.

The same is true for self-esteem. The opinion we have of ourselves is the final amalgam of the interaction of many internal factors, such as our temperament and personality characteristics, with external factors; In other words, everything that comes from the environment, such as the education our parents gave us or the neighborhood in which we grew up.

It is not uncommon then to argue that our sense of personal worth depends largely on the group to which we belong. The concept we have of ourselves is configured not only by our personal identity, but also by also for a social identity.

• Related article: "10 keys to increase your self-esteem in 30 days"

The link between self-esteem and bigotry

The feeling of belonging that comes from being a member of a group can thus help to strengthen or weaken our self-esteem. Therefore, the more positive characteristics we give to our group, be it a political party, a football club or whatever, we better feel about ourselves.

Social identity merges with personal identity, and that has a direct impact on self-esteem. If I think that the group that has welcomed me is fantastic, that also makes me, as an individual, a fantastic being. Y This is where we find the germ of fanaticism: Those who fight tenaciously (and sometimes even literally die in that fight) to defend the banners of the group, they are ultimately defending their own self-esteem, which they feel jeopardize.

Research in psychology postulates a simple equation: the poorer our self-esteem, the greater the need for identification with a powerful community to help us repair it or at least sustain it. The more insecure we feel and doubt our worth, the stronger the impulse to safeguard our personal pride by associating it with a solid group of belonging.

Of course, this equation is not mathematical; that is, it does not apply to 100% of the people. But it does apply to many of them. At least in the West, which is the side of the planet where the research comes from, the correlation between low self-esteem and fanaticism is significant. What I feel that I do not have, I am looking for the group to provide me. We have here the fertile land on which some of the worst defects that we have as a species are built, in an often uncritical way. Here are some examples.

1. Nationalism

Set up as the absurd belief that we we are better than the citizens of the neighboring country for the simple fact of being born by chance on this side of a border, and not the other. Patriotic pride intensifies notably when it is also accompanied by a feeling of morality that we believe is inherent in our society, such as the idea that "God is on our side", or "Good always triumphs over evil, and we are the good ones".

2. Religious sectarianism

Leaving aside fundamentalism (for its obviousness) one of the most notable cases in this regard is the one that occurred in 1978 in Guyana, where more than 900 people that made up the community of the People's Temple submissively and thoughtlessly committed suicide on the orders of Pastor Jim Jones, the spiritual leader of the group.

3. The dogmatism of ideas

The polarization in antagonistic groups that attack or defend a certain cause is usually a bad symptom. The recent debate over the decriminalization of abortion in Argentina is a clear example, which led a good part of society to divide into two opposite and irreconcilable camps, where moral aspects and scientific arguments were relegated to the background, overshadowed by a superficial discussion in which the arrival of logical conclusions did not matter, but rather the victory of one's own position over the opposite. In this sense, blaming someone else or demonizing the adversary provides the perfect excuse for not taking charge of our own frustrations.

• You may be interested: "What is Political Psychology?"

3. Uncompromising political affiliation

The great merit of Adolf Hitler, and that allowed him to come to power in the 1930s in Germany, was tell the people exactly what they needed to hear, at the right time. German morale had been devastated after the great war. In this context of generalized crisis and a lowered social self-esteem, Hitler knew how to channel the people's frustration and talking to them so that they would begin to feel proud of who they were again.

With such deteriorating self-esteem, even an educated people like the German could not help but resist empowering Hitler with the results we all know by now. "It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled," said Mark Twain.

4. The sports "passion"

Especially in football, in whose stadiums many times real pitched battles unfold. In relation to this last point, it is common to hear many people say things like: "We won, we are the best!" (when the team they sympathize with triumphs) highlighting the personal desire to achieve the greatest possible identification with their group. On the contrary, we are hardly going to hear someone exclaim: "We lost, we are the worst!" (in the face of bitter defeat). In this second case, what is expected is not to get involved and distance yourself from the defeated team so as not to be associated with disgrace: "They lost, they are the worst!"

Conclution

Only those who do not feel good about life try to improve your self-image by linking you to successful people. They do not seek prestige in their own achievements, but in someone else's. At the other extreme, those who have a good opinion of themselves do not need to reinforce it by appealing to the glory of others.

The premise is valid that the greater intransigence with respect to an idea or doctrine, it is probable that more deteriorated is the self-esteem and sense of personal identity of the individual than the proclaims. We come to feel superior (in every possible way) to the same extent that we convince ourselves that our group is the best, and this is one of the worst fallacies we can fall into.