I came across people who had more appreciation for those who looked down on them, denied them, than for those people who respected and appreciated them.
I have always been intrigued by this type of behavior: colleagues who appreciated those who mopped the floor with them, relationships that lasted even though one of them was acting badly, in accordance with my standards, with their partner.
Oddly, some people tend to pay more attention to a relationship, either personal or professional, when they are unsure of that relationship, of the significant other. When the colleague, the boss, the partner treats them equally, respectfully, elegantly, the latter tend to act mean. It’s like they take that relationship for granted and they start to devalue it. It’s like they mistake kindness, niceness, for meanness.
Or maybe, feeling good is boring for them and they are always looking for challenges, adrenaline, and problems to solve.
But I think it’s so much waste of energy, ideas, time in this behavior. Two minds put together for greater goals could do so much better.