I find this discussion intriguing, and I believe that this specific forum is the only place where it can be truly engaged in. Anywhere else, people simply do not comprehend it, and even broaching the subject will have negative repercussions.
What particularly catches my interest, as you also pointed out, is the reason behind our dissatisfaction with height while others seem unaffected.
Regarding why this affects some individuals and not others, I suspect that the crucial factor lies in how we interpret height-related experiences. The spectrum of processing such experiences ranges between internalizing them or externalizing them.
To elaborate on this concept: Consider an extreme case of someone who struggles with criticism. When informed that they are behaving poorly, they respond aggressively by yelling and insulting incessantly. This individual’s brain swiftly channels the intense emotion from the criticism back at the source, essentially projecting it outward.
In contrast, envision someone who immediately withdraws in shame, internalizing all the negativity from criticism, and becoming overly embarrassed by it. They allow the adverse emotions to deeply affect them.
Applying this to the context of height, these scenarios could manifest as a shorter man displaying excessive aggressiveness when faced with negative feelings about his height, commonly referred to as Napoleon syndrome. This stereotype often surfaces in the media concerning shorter men.
On the other hand, a different individual may internalize these emotions, feeling defeated and inadequate due to their height, absorbing the negativity as a personal shortcoming.
It is my assumption that many, if not all of us here, belong to the internalizing category. We have internalized the notion of inadequacy as men because of our height.
In today’s society, this belief is incessantly reinforced. Through movies, social media, dating applications, and other platforms, we are bombarded with this perspective constantly. As others are similarly exposed to this belief, a feedback loop forms where they reaffirm this perception.
Therefore, if you internalize and absorb this perspective of inadequacy, gradually you will perceive it more strongly over time due to this feedback loop.
When you combine this with a personality that is determined to solve problems and find solutions relentlessly, you create a potential candidate for limb lengthening.
Regarding why other shorter men may not experience this, I propose the following:
1. They may possess a psychological defense mechanism that shields them better from internalizing the idea that short men are inadequate.
This defense mechanism could be positive, such as excelling in a physical sport or martial art, leading to confidence in their physical strength and abilities, or an externalizing mechanism that causes them to deflect negative perceptions without internalizing them.
Or it could be that they were exposed to fewer negative incidents related to height.
2. Divergent personalities may play a role.
It is plausible that many short men, possibly a significant majority, have internalized the belief of inadequacy linked to their height, but lack the relentless problem-solving trait and resilience to tackle such issues persistently.
Combine an internalized view of inadequacy in short men with a tenacious problem-solving personality, and you have a potential candidate for limb lengthening.
