Crabs are short-tailed creatures which are classified as members of the crustaceans. They live in the sea, in the fresh water and even on land. Crabs are highly social animals with rich behavioural skills. They basically employ visual and vibratory signal modes for communicating with one another. For example, they could drum or wave with their pincers (scissor-like hands) so as to communicate.
Crabs typically walk sideways with the aid of their paddle-shaped legs, though they have the ability to walk forward or backward. They possess a complicated mode of territorial interaction with simple mating and courtship lifestyles. Interestingly, crabs are notoriously aggressive with the males often fighting for dominance and to gain access to the mature female ones.
So, What is crab mentality?
Crab mentality, also known as crabs in a bucket, is a phrase commonly used by the Filipinos and it denotes a way of thinking best described by the phrase “if I can’t have it, neither can you”! This metaphor originated from a pattern of behaviour observed in crabs when they are trapped in a bucket. Each crab is capable of escaping out of the bucket, but if any one crab tries to do so, the other crabs in the bucket would jeopardize its efforts, thus, ensuring they perish together. In this way, the trapped crabs contribute to their collective demise.
A fishmonger need not keep an eye or use a lid over a crab bucket as the crabs would help to prevent themselves from escaping by grabbing and pulling back one another. “Goodness”, you will say!
The analogy in human behavior is that any member of a group who tries to achieve success beyond the others is hindered and pulled down by the other members through conspiracy, envy, resentment, blackmail, and to extreme extents, wicked divinations. The envious members would resort to anything just to halt the progress of a more successful fellow. This is the “pull-others-down syndrome”. But, did you know that the progress of a fellow could pave way for your own progress!?
Culled: Stephendareblog
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