ABSTRACT
The likewise colloquial, so-called “inferiority complex” is surely quite common in our society and may be associated with enormous psychic pain. Whenever it is activated, it may express itself through the feeling of “having the rug pulled out from under one’s feet.” The term was introduced by A.Adler at the beginning of the century in the context of his observation that people suffering from this complex tend towards overcompensation, by striving hard for validation and power. Today, in the more specialized psychological literature, the expression “inferiority complex” has largely been replaced by newer terms, such as “disturbance of self-esteem” or “narcissistic vulnerability.” Psychodynamically, this complex is closely connected with the previously described experiences of the mother and father complex. In its many ramifications and manifold effects, it has a very global impact—one in which all motivational systems often play a part—because it involves the difficult question of how much value I am consciously or unconsciously attributing to myself; how I evaluate the person who is myself.
