[Annie Lannie]

Why is a person mean to others?

[Skeezyks]

Hello Annie Lannie: I noticed this is your first post here on PC. Welcome to Psych Central.

You asked why a person is mean to others. I doubt I really have the answer to that. I suppose there can be a variety of possible answers depending on the person & the situation. For some people there may be a genetic component to it. It may also have to do with the person's upbringing. Perhaps they were abused growing up & so, now, they take their anger out on others. One really never knows for certain what may be going on with another person.

Here's a link to an article, from Psych Central's archives, that offers some possible reasons why a person might be angry all the time:

Angry All the Time for No Reason? This Might Be Why

I hope you find PC to be of benefit.

[annoyedgrunt84]

I agree with Skeezyks. It may be their upbringing, they have learned to be mean to others before others are mean to them. Unfortunately some people just get enjoyment out, still others may be confusing being tough and taking no crap for just being mean about things. That can be a fine line to walk.

[sarahsweets]

Sometimes it boils down to being an asshole.

Hurt people hurt people. People who are in pain themselves. I like Sarahsweets answer too though.

[*Beth*]

Welcome to PC.

Is it someone else who is mean or are you asking about yourself?

[Mountaindewed]

People can be mean because they are jealous of you. Then they can start becoming passive aggressive towards you and try to make you jealous of them. It just makes them look very desperate and frankly quite annoying. and yeah people are just assholes too.

[bpcyclist]

This may be an unpopular remark, but I do believe there are humans who are just fundamentally rotten.

[winter4me]

Example of "mean"?

[Have Hope]

I think people who are mean were not born mean. I think they become mean as a result of their upbringing and environment. Just as abusers become abusive as a result of abuse they received themselves. Ultimately, meanness shows they are hurting and in pain inside themselves. Or, like said above, they are envious of that person and need to put them down and feel superior because ultimately, they feel inferior. I think it just points to the fact that the person is in pain, in one way or another.

[KD1980]

Lack of empathy, and sometimes an lack of understanding.

I think it makes some people feel powerful to disempower others.

[Fuzzybear]

Welcome to pc. Good question and some interesting answers. I often ask myself the same question. Why are some people so mean...

I also think it makes some people feel powerful if they ''succeed'' in disempowering others.

[mote.of.soul]

Yes, many things, many reasons. And let's not forget the case of the person who, through whatever causes, has been born with a sadism in his soul - a sadism in his mind. He enjoys - get's a thrill! - from seeing another person in pain, and, so, for the purposes of self pleasure [if you will] sets out to cause hurt to others. This is an evil if the recipient of said pain is unconsenting[!]