The Erostratus Complex: Specialists In The Art Of Appearance
We are all witnesses of the Erostratus complex. We see it in those people who have made the art of appearance their way of life. Some give it the name of “postureo” (Spanish neologism, someone who appears, who poses), others define it as social exhibitionism. They are also the people looking for likes on social networks. Personalities who make appearance a sophisticated mask, behind which they can hide their inferiority complex.
Some say that in this new era of technological culture, we have become a little more conceited. Many of us love (why wouldn’t we?) Show off some aspect of our life on Facebook walls or in Instagram Stories . There is nothing wrong with doing it once in a while. However, needing those likes on a daily basis and that constant approval is undoubtedly drifting into more worrying pathological realities.
The Erostratus complex is not found only in the cybernetic universe. We see it, for example, in the “display” of this person we know and who monopolizes the communication of a group, in this “ghost” colleague at the office who strives to look like a real winner, and in an infinity of people (and characters) who populate, with their obsessive cult of the “me”, the social landscape.
Whoever lives to pretend doesn’t just create an existence as empty as it is unhappy. Beyond the anecdotal side, we cannot forget one detail: by pursuing notoriety, erostratism can push many people to develop extremely harmful and exhausting behaviors.
The Erostratus complex, the man who destroyed one of the Seven Wonders to be famous
Historians say that the night of July 21, 365 BC. JC., A very regrettable fact happened and went down in history. The protagonist of this act was none other than Erostratus, a young bank of Ephesus; since he was a child he had this blind obsession with being chosen by the gods to do something great, something that would make him famous.
His dream was to become a priest of Artemis. Having no recognized father, he was refused this wish. Obsessed by this desire for fame, he then had an idea, a plan which he carried out on the night of July 21. He went to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Then, a fter having kissed the statue of the goddess, he set fire to the whole building.
After this disaster, Artaxerxes, king of Persia, had him tortured to understand the reason which had pushed him to commit such an offense. Erostratus then confessed his goal: to go down in history as the man who had set fire to the magnificent temple of Artemis. After hearing this, the monarch condemned him to ostracism. It also forbids, under pain of death, to quote the name of this man and to relate it to the destruction of the temple.
But this order was useless. The Greek historian Theopompe reported on the fire and mentioned the name of Erostratus. This explains why we know this fact today. Moreover, in the field of psychology, this figure was chosen as the name for the Erostratus complex and thus define those people capable of doing almost anything to stand out, to acquire fame and celebrity.
The search for notoriety, low self-esteem and criminal acts
Alfred Adler, a famous Austrian therapist from the beginning of the 20th century, carried out a very interesting study which explains what can lead to generating an underlying feeling of inferiority. In many of these profiles, the same pattern often emerged. A pattern that, in a way, we had already seen in Erostrates of Ephesus himself.
These people tend to chart a life laden with idealisms, which they find difficult to achieve. They present, moreover, an exacerbated desire to distinguish themselves, even projecting a contemptuous attitude towards all those around them. In many cases, by wanting to be the center of attention so desperately and failing to do so, they end up building up great hostility.
Such an attitude can be extremely dangerous. It is known that, in some cases, these people suffering from the Erostratus complex can end up committing criminal acts. This is what Erostratus himself did on July 21, 365 BC. JC., By burning the temple of Artemis. This is also what David Chapman did, on December 8, 1980, by killing John Lennon, or John Hinckley who, on March 30, 1981, attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan.
The inner rejection that leads to violence
All these characters reveal, in their quest for notoriety, clearly pathological behaviors. This is why they did not hesitate to attack iconic figures and thus be able to have a place in history. And they succeeded. We cannot therefore trivialize or consider as anecdotal the behavior of those who live only to pretend, of those who have this constant need to be the center of the world and to idealize their “selves” while despising others.
All appearance is a reflection of serious deficiencies. They are frustrated personalities who reject who they are. They also seek to cling to an invented image, which is more difficult to reaffirm in front of an audience. Since they do not always achieve this goal, they may resort to more extreme acts. It could be about getting other people into business or spreading rumors. Or even to close our eyes, without the least scruple, to this division between what is ethical and moral and what is not.
The Erostratus complex not only limits our potential to be happy. Often times, it can lead humans to reveal their darker side. Let’s keep this in mind.
Our thoughts The Cassandra complex refers to the caricature of a person who thinks they can predict the future without actually being able to change it.
