Crab Mentality

Crab mentality is a negative way of thinking wherein other people, majority colleagues in the workplace, tries to pull someone else down in order for them to achieve the glory and the victory. It is a prevalent attitude among Filipinos. For me, it is considered as one of the major sins that every Filipino has.

Crab mentality as explained by Wikipedia, describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot. For Filipinos, crab mentality is the tendency to "outdo another at the other's expense" or to "pull down those who strive to be better."

That alone is a clear explanation of what Crab Mentality is really about. Well, as I said, it is very prevalent in the corporate world as well.

In my office, there are numerous people/colleagues that I believe has this mentality and way of thinking. The most evident person who I believe is very experienced in this way of thinking is a manager. I am not going to name names to avoid any issues but thankfully, this person is not my direct superior. Even the people who works for this person feels the same way. How can you earn the respect and build the trust if the people who works for you feels that way? How can you sleep at night when all you do is spread bad news and issues about someone who you feel is a threat to your existence? Why can't you perform better at your work, show some results, earn the respect by doing good. Do you really achieve something and feel great about yourself when you actually let someone else down without any basis and without any proofs just to be able to be acknowledged by our boss? Well, I pray for you! May your soul rest in peace. You know who you are.... so if you happen to read this blog entry, please have the guts to admit it to yourself that you are the one that I am pinpointing. I pity you!!!