Recently I've been reflecting a lot on how we all define ourselves in relation to the people around us, to some extent. For example, I've always had a very hazy and unstable sense of self. To a large extent I don't know who I am or what my personality is. But if I compare myself to others I can start to get a better understanding - I'm stronger-willed than this person while more of a doormat than that person, I take better care of myself than this friend but I'm nowhere close to that friend, etc. This is always internal and never vocalized. I'm not using this as some moral judgement, just a way to understand how I fit into the world around me and so understand myself better.

If I imagine taking this idea and twisting it so that my entire identity is dependent on being better than others? I'd like to say it's horrifying, but I genuinely can't do it. I cannot put myself in a headspace of "I'm better than everyone around me. I'm richer and more refined and more sophisticated and healthier and better and..." I'm drawing a blank.

These people are ontologically monsters, aren't they? Top to bottom, inside and out.