The Illusion of Superiority:
Why Emotional Maturity Requires Letting Go of The "One Right Way"
The Social Media Echo Chamber of Bias and Dogma
The other day, I was scrolling through social media, and within minutes, I saw it all—the full circus of human bias, arrogance, and insecurity playing out like a well-rehearsed script.
First, a friend with a newborn baby posted something along the lines of, “People without kids will never understand true fulfillment.” The unspoken message? If you don’t have children, you’re missing out on real life.
A few scrolls later, I see a fitness influencer proclaiming that anyone who doesn’t eat exactly like him is clueless about their health. (How the hell does he know?)
Then it gets better. A religious zealot claims that those who don’t believe in God are lost, foolish, and probably immoral. Not two clips later, an atheist makes the exact opposite claim—those who do believe in God are brainwashed idiots.
And it keeps going.
A self-proclaimed nature enthusiast condemning people who enjoy staying indoors.
A coffee drinker insisting that anyone who hates coffee is just plain weird.
Someone who has decided to quit alcohol calling anyone who drinks—even a little—an alcoholic in denial.
The message in all of these? My way is the best way. My choices are superior. And if you live differently, something must be wrong with you.
This is the sickness of the Base-Level and Culture-Level mind.
Why the Loudest Are the Most Insecure
One of the clearest signs of emotional immaturity is the desperate need to present one’s lifestyle as the best, only, and most important way to live.
After decades of working with people in health, fitness, and psychological transformation, I’ve learned one universal truth: The people who shout the loudest—who feel the strongest need to defend and promote their choices—are usually the most insecure.
The problem is, they don’t realize they’re insecure.
Maturity, at its core, is the process of overcoming insecurities. And that’s the catch—insecurity blocks self-awareness. The nature of fear is such that those who are most controlled by it are also the least likely to admit it. Instead, they erect elaborate psychological defense mechanisms, shutting down even the mere suggestion that they could be wrong.
Bias, Dogma, and the Fragile Ego
When someone’s beliefs or choices become a personal religion of bias and dogma, they create their own echo chamber. Their mind hardens, and they mistake their perspective for truth.
Bias and dogma are the parents of ignorance and arrogance.
If you are so biased that you refuse to examine other perspectives, you will keep yourself ignorant of other ways of living. If you are so dogmatic that you cannot even entertain the idea that you might be wrong, you are, by definition, arrogantly entrenched in your beliefs.
And yes, this stems from base-level fear and the need for control.
People lull themselves into the illusion of control—and keep their fear at bay—by narrowing the possibilities for their lives. Then, they extend this rigidity onto others. They tell themselves:
All religious people like me are better.
All single, independent people like me are better.
All wealthy people like me are better.
All fitness-obsessed people like me are better.
These are not truths. These are fear-based rationalizations meant to reinforce a fragile self-concept.
The reality? All you need to do is look at the world with an unbiased, fearless eye. What you’ll find is infinite ways of being. There are people across every conceivable belief system and lifestyle choice who are happy, content, and fulfilled.
The Next Level Human understands this. The insecure, the arrogant, and the dogmatic do not.
The Fear of the Unknown and the Need to Convert
The insecure must tell you what they know. They must convince you they are right. They will fight tooth and nail for their way of seeing the world, never realizing how much they are limiting themselves.
And this is one of the reasons life brings suffering.
Suffering exists to shatter our illusions—to force us to recognize that our way is just our way and nothing more. When we cling too tightly to a single way of being, we build our own prison. And when that prison inevitably collapses under the weight of reality, suffering forces us to see the truth: There is no one right way.
Openness is the only path to growth. And that is what the Next Level Human ultimately seeks—growth.
The Trap of Popularity and Control
Why do people resist growth? Because it’s uncomfortable. It requires admitting that their way is not the only way. Instead, most people settle into one of two lower levels of consciousness:
Culture-Level Thinking: The need to fit in and find a team. “I believe what my group believes.”
Base-Level Thinking: The need for control and dominance. “My way is the only way.”
Both of these mindsets reject growth. The Culture-Level mind values popularity over truth. The Base-Level mind values control over understanding.
The world is changing rapidly, and this terrifies people. Fear leads them to dig in, to double down, to reject anything that challenges their worldview.
But the Next Level Human knows the greatest courage comes from embracing the unknown.
The truly evolved mind does not fear difference—it is intrigued by it.
The Next Level Human Chooses Curiosity Over Fear
The key distinction between emotional maturity and immaturity is this:
The insecure fear different perspectives.
The mature find them interesting.
Emotional intelligence isn’t just about controlling your reactions—it’s about understanding that the world is vast, perspectives are infinite, and no one holds absolute truth.
If your way of living requires defending, justifying, or proving itself, then you are still trapped in fear.
The Next Level Human is free. They do not need others to validate their choices. They do not need to convince others to live as they do. They do not feel threatened by different perspectives.
They observe. They learn. They expand.
And most importantly, they grow.
Because to remain open—to remain a student of life rather than a prisoner of dogma—is the only way to truly evolve.
PS: Ready to Break Free From Your Own Mental Traps?
If you’re serious about shedding old limitations, challenging your unconscious biases, and stepping into the Next Level Human way of being, check out my coaching program.
👉 www.nextlevelhuman.com/human-coaching
The world is waiting for those who are willing to evolve. Will you be one of them?
''to remain a student of life rather than a prisoner of dogma—is the only way to truly evolve''.
Here you have it: the only true way in life.
So in the end, there is ''only one true way''?
Nice post, I agree with all you said.
But wow, what do you subscribe to in your feed for all that self-righteousness? My facebook feed is very different. People are very respectful of each other's opinions and journeys. Maybe because they are closed, moderated groups?
On the other hand, I've realized my emails are all people trying to sell me something, so they're all trying to convince me that their way is the only way. Since only a few physical/ psychological health emails provide useful content, I've been on a mission to unsubscribe. The only actual content these days seems to be on Substack.