Tall poppy syndrome:
is an experience shared by individuals and across communities. Tall poppies are those people of genuine merit who have either accomplished a great feat or have been a part of something extraordinary. They are talented + successful, and as a result their communities feel compelled to chop them down. This compulsion to devalue or discredit someone’s accomplishment or lifestyles is caused by many factors, and tall poppy syndrome is overwhelmingly prominent in England, Australia and New Zealand. The syndrome may be known in these countries but tall poppy syndrome is inherit across the global society.
“We have this culture of Tall Poppy Syndrome which is messed up. Coming up in this country I’ve seen so many times when you see one of us rising you want to tear them down, because you feel inadequate, and you want to call it ‘humble.’ I am extraordinarily humble, believe me, but you’ll never know that because you never get to know me.”
“If you see one of us shining… pump them up! Embrace them! Cause if they win, we win; if I win, you win. Understand that!”
Israel Adesanya, 57th Halberg Awards 2020.
As individuals we need to redirect how we perceive successful people, away from a critical lens toward a respectful one of admiration. Educating ourselves on how the Syndrome prevents others from pursing their goals and aspirations is important to reframing our perspectives – from there? Then we can truly learn from others because we are willing to listen to their stories.
For those visual/auditory learners, try checking out some videos as a first step. Then, I highly recommend jumping into the podcast series where you can practice active listening.