There are some people who overestimate their own worth, arrogantly presuming that they are the best choice for any task at hand, whether or not they have much relevant experience. People with impostor syndrome have the opposite tendency. They consistently underestimate themselves, feeling like they’re not good enough to participate in situations that they’re clearly qualified for.
A common source for impostor syndrome is the mistaken belief that one’s colleagues have attained mastery over their work, and expect the same from everyone else. This emotional state inflates others’ skills while diminishing one’s own. In fact, a majority of colleagues in some professional contexts can feel some impostor syndrome. Not everyone can actually be that incompetent.
On the other hand, the concept of impostor syndrome has gained such widespread acceptance that it often takes on the disingenuous character of a humble brag. People fishing for compliments will conspicuously comment about their impostor syndrome. In a milder version of this pose, people will go along with others talking about their impostor syndrome, as it comes to be expected that only arrogant people wouldn’t feel professionally inadequate in some way.
Ironically, those who claim to have impostor syndrome while actually having no sincere professional insecurity about themselves are behaving as true impostors, pretending to be something that they’re not.
The emotional authenticity of declarations of the impostor syndrome can’t be measured just with a scan of the face. It requires the ability to interpret the thick cultural and social context of what’s being said and done. The worst impostor of all is the person who claims to have a simple system for the automation of empathy.
