Do the Irish have an inferiority complex?

IamtheWalrus · 23-02-2015 11:16PM #1

I think we do. It's in our psyche to feel inferior to others. We feel inferior to the more powerful British for one. Most Irish people have an inferiority complex, me included, as much as I hate to admit it. We are second class citizens. We 'make do' with what we have.

It might have something to do with the church. I think it's changing but I resent it. It's held me back in life.

Sheep Lover · 23-02-2015 11:18PM

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

It's held me back in life.

It's probably just you then, lots of us are doing grand even with that massive chip on our shoulder.

stimpson · 23-02-2015 11:19PM

I think our inferiority complex is better than the British one.

El Weirdo · 23-02-2015 11:19PM

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

It's held me back in life.

Well... that and your flippers and huge teeth.

The_Valeyard · 23-02-2015 11:19PM

Probably more to do with various British invasions than the church. Irish were viewed very low in magazines like Punch. Same with work signs in the USA 'no Irish need apply' Combination of our history, not a new thing, goes back hundreds of years.

66ad · 23-02-2015 11:20PM

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I think we do. It's in our psyche to feel inferior to others. We feel inferior to the more powerful British for one. Most Irish people have an inferiority complex, me included, as much as I hate to admit it. We are second class citizens. We 'make do' with what we have.

It might have something to do with the church. I think it's changing but I resent it. It's held me back in life.

Will you go away out of that, and get back in your box.

millie35 · 23-02-2015 11:20PM

stimpson wrote: »

I think our inferiority complex is better than the British one.

anything they can do, we can do better

BoJack Horseman · 23-02-2015 11:20PM

Generally, yes.

pidgeoneyes · 23-02-2015 11:20PM

Not me. I'm great!

kingchess · 23-02-2015 11:25PM

Well,at least we can console ourselves that -thank Christ-we are not Welsh. (only joking)

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 23-02-2015 11:27PM

I actually think I'm class. Especially when compared to the British. Or anyone for that matter.

Links234 · 23-02-2015 11:29PM

We're all equally inferior to robots

Mister Vain · 23-02-2015 11:30PM

Only in places like killinaskully.

The Backwards Man · 23-02-2015 11:31PM

Balls.

Grand place this, full of cnuts granted, but so is everywhere. I've never bowed or knelt or tipped my hst to anyone in my life because I felt beneath them, load a shíte.

JAMES VI · 23-02-2015 11:34PM

Oh I dunno about that, Sir! If I may? I think... Oh no, you wouldn't want to hear what I think I'd assume. Oh well, thanks for taking the time to read my post, I really appreciate somebody like you taking the time to read my post. Thank you. Please, please. Thank you.

Matta Harri · 23-02-2015 11:40PM

Ah we probably do. I couldn't escape it anyway.

Britian is better than Ireland.
The rest of the country is superior to the west.
Galway and Mayo are nicer than Roscommon.
The South of the Roscommon is better the us in the middle.
That parish is classier than our one.
That half parish had better footballers than here.
The neighbours have better land than us etc etc.

I never had a hope.

IamtheWalrus · 23-02-2015 11:41PM

I'm not talking about the self-esteem of individuals. I'm talking about the Irish as a nation. There is a subconscious undercurrent of inferiority. You think you're doing well in life but only by judging yourself on a limited Irish scale.

Eugene Norman · 23-02-2015 11:57PM

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I'm not talking about the self-esteem of individuals. I'm talking about the Irish as a nation. There is a subconscious undercurrent of inferiority. You think you're doing well in life but only by judging yourself on a limited Irish scale.

You are correct. Individually we are normal enough but have a collective self-disregard.

The Backwards Man · 23-02-2015 11:58PM

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I'm not talking about the self-esteem of individuals. I'm talking about the Irish as a nation. There is a subconscious undercurrent of inferiority. You think you're doing well in life but only by judging yourself on a limited Irish scale.

Balls again. I'm in Ireland.

I've got a little black book with my poems in
Got a bag with a toothbrush and a comb in
When I'm a good dog they sometimes throw me a bone in

I got 569 channels of shít on the TV to choose from

I got electric light

I got a silver spoon on a chain
Got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains.

We got it good here.

eamonnq · 24-02-2015 12:01AM

When I pick up the phone............theres still nobody home.

or something like that...........oh babe.

philstar · 24-02-2015 12:05AM

we're a good for nothing race...

....the only thing we're good for is getting drunk and planting bombs

24-02-2015 12:09AM

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I'm not talking about the self-esteem of individuals. I'm talking about the Irish as a nation. There is a subconscious undercurrent of inferiority. You think you're doing well in life but only by judging yourself on a limited Irish scale.

"Sure everyone loves the Irish"

"We're the best fans in the world"

AllGunsBlazing · 24-02-2015 12:10AM

philstar wrote: »

....the only thing we're good for is getting drunk and planting bombs

And we're not even top of the pile in the whole terrorism lark anymore.

How are we supposed to compete suicide bombs, mass shootings and ritual beheading?!

darkdubh · 24-02-2015 01:17AM

Well at least we realised that cricket is **** unlike most former British colonies.We have that to be thankful for.

bodice ripper · 24-02-2015 01:18AM

I got elastic bands keeping my shoes on
Got those swollen hand blues.

But then, I am not in Ireland so it may not be relevant.

darkdubh · 24-02-2015 01:19AM

philstar wrote: »

we're a good for nothing race...

....the only thing we're good for is getting drunk and planting bombs

In the same order?No wonder the Muslims have passed us out in the latter.

dxhound2005 · 24-02-2015 01:19AM

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Probably more to do with various British invasions than the church. Irish were viewed very low in magazines like Punch. Same with work signs in the USA 'no Irish need apply' Combination of our history, not a new thing, goes back hundreds of years.

Some people think the No Irish Need Apply is an urban myth. Can you prove it ever happened?

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/no-such-thing-as-no-irish-need-apply-signs-argues-history-professor-211727201-237597051.html

The fact that Irish vividly "remember" NINA signs is a curious historical puzzle. There are no contemporary or retrospective accounts of a specific sign at a specific location. No particular business enterprise is named as a culprit. No historian, archivist, or museum curator has ever located one ; no photograph or drawing exists.

Kiwi in IE · 24-02-2015 01:20AM

I wouldn't be in the slightest bit suprised if there was a national inferiority complex. The first cultural milestone for the majority of you is to be taken to be cleansed of some imaginary 'sin' a few weeks after birth, and then if the 'sin' indoctrination doesn't continue at home, 97% of primary schools will fix that! Hardly self esteem building I'd imagine!

DoYouEvenLift · 24-02-2015 01:23AM

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Eugene Norman · 24-02-2015 01:25AM

Kiwi in IE wrote: »

I wouldn't be in the slightest bit suprised if there was a national inferiority complex. The Catholic church is hardly self esteem building is it? The first cultural milestone for the majority of you is to be taken to be cleansed of some imaginary 'sin' a few weeks after you are born, and then if the 'sin' indoctrination doesn't continue at home, 97% of primary schools will fix that!

And yet the 1.2 billion or so other catholics and a billion or so other christians don't seem to have that inferiority complex.

( although you quite clearly feel superior).

No quite simply. We don't for sure have a superiority complex - there's no tradition of feeling superior to our neighbours, there are no English jokes, and we've internalised a general dislike of our own culture.

StupidLikeAFox · 24-02-2015 01:27AM

We have a curious condition where we hate ourselves but think we are better than everyone else.

Do the Irish have an inferiority complex?

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