Conceited… where does it come from?

Conceited

The dictionary meaning is only part of the story (excessively proud of oneself; vain)

The most important part of the story is revealed in relationships. Relationship to others, and relationship to tasks.

When I look, the people who are conceited are delusional… delusional in their relationships to people and things. In comparison.

They compare themselves to others and they are, as a fixed attitude, not as an experience, superior to them. And they compare themselves to things… and they are superior to them, as an attitude, not as an experience.

My mother was conceited. Her pictures show it. So were my brothers.

Contempt and conceit are very close… She had contempt for many things, many people, including me.

The only really superior person in our family, my father, was unassuming. I grew up in this family where I was considered less than, less pretty, less smart, less capable than them… the conceited ones, less than anyone except my genius father. He was maybe treated as even less than me.