I "Googled" the phrase "Big Man Derangement Syndrome" and came up empty. So I guess this is a phrase that I have "coined."
And just what is it?
Did you ever see those Red-Assed Baboons at the zoo? There's a hierarchy, the big baboon, the king of the kingdom, and then there's all those underlings who bow down to the Big Man.
Well, since we are pretty much well-dressed, Red-Assed Baboons, we have that same thing going, in all walks of life.
There's the Big Man, thinks he knows his shit, make lots of money, or has lots of status for doing one thing well, and wields lots of power and authority. And this power and authority gets extended to all kinds of realms where really the Big Man doesn't know shit, and his status and power really goes to his freaking head, like he's something special. And all those little red-assed, human baboons think he's special too, like he walks on water or something.
And men and women and little kids, and hell, even their pets all bow down to the power and the glory of the Big Man - Coach, President, Saint, Financial Adviser, Dictator, King, Pope, Cop, Boss, Mayor, God (of all stripes), whatever. People actually want to bow down to the Big Man. This would explain how people like Donald Trump or Newt Gingrich can actually get laid, and write books and be lauded for something or other.
This Big Man thing might actually be hard-wired into us. Comes from our baboon-ish nature. And it's a tendency that must be acknowledged, and fought. The Big Man is not really a big man at all. Just a man (or woman) with all the flaws and foibles that come with the package. And no one should be bowing down to anyone else for any freaking reason. The bowing down is a mistake.
The bowing down can lead to all kinds of heinous things. It seems the worst stuff rolls out when this figure of Authority begins to act like he is above the world of the common schlubs. Usually the worst crimes occur when the authority is abused, and the little red-assed baboons just play along because, well the big man can't fuck up, can he?
You must fight that bowing down tendency. You must acknowledge that you are your own authority. And the first step to knowing that, is to accept that you are a human being, and you basically don't know shit!
Be humble little Grasshopper! And always, always question Authority! There is no "big man" just lots of us little people, fuck-ups all!