[pickingdinner]

I guess I should take personal offense by this?

You and jauntywundrkind are confusing the context of superior. The context is rank and power. As a manager and boss, you are of superior rank and power. The point being, stop dancing around that, especially in fear of comments by those who may take it out of context. So you're demonizing me based on your own context. Which is dark and toxic.

But this is important because it's so often the case. If you could choose the context, you could always see something as dark and toxic, or do the opposite. And if you do see something someway, check the context, and be sure it's considered.

To be professional is to never infer personal superiority. Superior skill, superior rank, superior attire maybe, or superior height even? None of these make anyone personally superior. Even superior character, mood, philosophy, empathy. Surely you can find something inferior if you wanted. But none of this is about the individual being inferior or superior. In fact, even at a personal level, who compares themselves with others in such a way? Who's scared to be compared? And who's after those who compare? Making it about that is the fasted path to dark and toxic.

So please don't.

All that is meant by superior here, is your superior can fire you, and you can't fire them. If this fact is damaging to your world view, I'd say your world view may need repairing.

But with a healthy understanding of the situation, if you wish to get promoted, go for it.

The end.

[P_I_Staker]

> As a manager and boss, you are of superior rank and power.

This is not universally accepted, and I don't necessarily agree. Definitely think this is a terrible way to word your point, even if you had a decent one.

> So you're demonizing me based on your own context. Which is dark and toxic.

No, I'm demonizing you for what you said. I don't know "your own context". I know what you said, and it sounded entitled and bigoted.

Some background: We constantly hear people say these things. We recognize the ideology that tends to go with these ideas and are rightly suspicious and critical.

I'm not going to try guess your best intention. You should use language that doesn't make me think you are an arrogant narcissist or a fascist. I'm not trying to insult you, but here I think it's important for clarity.

> So please don't.

No. I always will. Your comment was terrifying. This talk of "superiority" is a problem from the start.

> who compares themselves with others in such a way?

Lots of people. It's awful. Hence the purpose of my response.

> Who's scared to be compared?

Huh? I thought comparing is bad. Now being "scared" to be compared is bad?

> And who's after those who compare?

What?!?! Are you having some victim complex and saying people are out to get you? I have no idea what you're talking about here.

> All that is meant by superior here, is your superior can fire you, and you can't fire them. If this fact is damaging to your world view, I'd say your world view may need repairing.

Did you write this on a projector? BTW, your "superior" can't necessarily fire you, nor should they be able to any more than you can fire them. I don't think that many teams give a single person dictator powers to do this anymore.

So while it might be true that some manager has an easier time firing a less powerful employee, it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, in the real world managers often feel like they can't fire anyone, and sometimes employees do have recourse.

In fact, you're wrong, you can get your manager fired! It happens more often than you'd think.

[pickingdinner]

> This is not universally accepted,

Try saying that to your boss who does in fact outrank you.

> I'm demonizing you for what you said

Do you make it a habit? You ever consider misinterpretation or do you just blame the other person's wording?

My use of the word is not incorrect, and no I do not mean superior human being. If that is what I meant, I would have put human being after superior.

> I'm not going to try guess your best intention.

You should. Always. Please do.

> language that doesn't make me think

No one's language will make you think anything. Your thoughts are your own. Own them. Think about that. And if you've misidentified an arrogant narcissist or a fascist, that's on you.

> Lots of people. It's awful. Hence the purpose of my response.

Like you? And your purpose is what? To demonize me? Why?

> your "superior" can't necessarily fire you, nor should they be able to any more than you can fire them.

So here what needs repairing. Have you ever worked "under" someone? Or is that "beneath" you? Or is this language damaging?

Yes, they can fire you, and no you can't fire them. Trying to get them fired is not the same, and already you're admitting you can't do it directly. They can do it directly. You get to quit if you don't enjoy the work being served on your plate. That's all it is.

I apologize if I offended you. That was not my intent. You could have guessed that.

However, you are personally offensive, by your own admission. Demonizing people is offensive. And you continue to do so even after I've clarified my point.