It's that people who are full of themselves are mostly empty on the inside.
If someone is heavily preoccupied with themselves, it can only mean that they're aiming to compensate for something they perceive as lacking.
They can't quite put a finger on what's missing, so what do they do? Spend hundreds of dollars and countless hours on clothing, makeup, cars, and the like.
So what might these people be trying to compensate for?
It could include:
- Low self-esteem
- A sagging level of confidence
- Loneliness
- Feeling as though their life lacks direction
It's no surprise that many people who were perceived as bad boys/girls in their younger years later admit that they were the farthest thing away from tough and confident.
They simply rebelled as a way of channeling the discontent they felt about and in their lives.
Let us make a clear distinction between confidence and conceit.
A person who's confident can make fun of themselves (and others can make light-hearted jokes at their expense) without it bruising their ego.
They aren't necessarily after the spotlight, nor are they always jockeying for position. In fact, they're more than happy to acknowledge others' efforts and will step forward to help someone out of a jam.
A person can be confident and still be humble, willing to own up to his or her mistakes.
But self-centered people -- many of whom can be classified as narcissists -- do hunger for all the glory. They're happy to ascribe blame and cast aspersions so long as it makes others look bad.
In many arrogant people, I think there's a good person crying out for help. Sadly, though, these individuals are too proud to reach out to friends or loved ones for support. (And if they go around treating people like dirt, there are probably not many left in their circle to begin with.)
In sum, there are many people who own nice things without letting it get to their head. And, there are plenty of others who exude an air of confidence without coming off as overly cocky.
Some people just need to learn how to balance being comfortable in their own skin with being a good human being in general. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive.
A beautiful car or dress can never substitute what lies beneath -- or lack thereof. A person might come off as the most attractive and confident person you've ever met. But if they're rotten on the inside, it negates that outward appearance completely.
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