Why Is It A Tall Poppy Problem
I struggle to be proud of my work. As a soldier and officer, I expected much more of myself. I still do. As my career winds down and shifts to another chapter, I struggle to look back at it.
A friend once said, “Nah man, you have a lot to be proud of! You taught and lead! You saw so much of New Zealand!”
“You must have an idealist view of what I did. All of that is just part of the job. Honestly, I was never good enough to deploy. I’ve never been tested,” I said.
“Stop it. You always do this,” he said, raising a finger at me like a disappointed parent.
“Do what?”
“Cut yourself down. Bro, you represented the Army in the International Shooting Team three times. You lead taught some insane topics to people whose English is not their first language. Point is, people do not do what you have done. You got some real bad Tall Poppy Syndrome,” he said.
When the truth hurts, you know a friend means well. His words really stuck, and it started an uncomfortable reflection.
Turns out, Tall Poppy Syndrome is far more poetic than many of us would like to admit.
It made me think about how deeply ingrained this mindset is in our culture, especially in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s not really modesty. Tall Poppy syndrome really is more a habit of cutting ourselves down to avoid standing out. We sabotage our own success to avoid being the “tall poppy” that gets cut.
Tall Poppy Syndrome also drives us to tear others down. When someone achieves something great, we are often quick to criticize or diminish their success. We call them a “show-off” or assuming they got lucky. It’s as if we believe that by dragging others down, we protect the social equilibrium, where no one should stand too far above the rest.
So, where does this come from? Why do we, in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and even to some extent in the United Kingdom, seem so intent on shrinking ourselves?
These are the questions that strangled me. Tall Poppy Syndrome isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a cultural one.
The Etymology Of Tall Poppy Syndrome
The term “Tall Poppy” actually dates back to ancient Rome, specifically to the reign of Tarquin the Proud. As the story goes, Tarquin’s son asked for advice on how to deal with political rivals. In response, Tarquin walked through his garden, striking off the heads of the tallest poppies.
The message was obvious: in order to maintain power, eliminate those who stand out or pose a threat. Over time, this image of cutting down the tallest flowers became a metaphor for suppressing anyone who rises above the rest.
By the 20th century, “Tall Poppy Syndrome” described the tendency to cut down people who stand out for their success or achievements. It was used to explain a form of cultural leveling, where standing out or succeeding leads to criticism and hostility. While the original Roman story was about political survival, the modern adaptation reflects a societal impulse to protect egalitarian values by keeping everyone on the same level.
The Oxford Dictionary defines Tall Poppy Syndrome as “a perceived tendency to discredit or disparage those who have achieved notable wealth or prominence in public life.”
What is interesting here is that the base idea of Tall Poppy Sydrome has not changed. Like Tarquin, the concept is to preserve the status quo at the cost of success.
Tall Poppy Syndrome found fertile ground in colonial societies like Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Here, egalitarianism were and are valued over class hierarchies. A study by Feather (1989) explored how Australian culture views success and failure. It confirms that attitudes shaped by Tall Poppy Syndrome lead to negative reactions toward high achievers.
Evolutionary Mismatch
Tall Poppy Syndrome may have roots stretching back to our Paleolithic societies. Evolutionary psychologists often argue that behaviors and social dynamics we observe today come from ancient survival mechanisms. In small hunter-gatherer groups, survival was a collective effort. This means that cooperation, resource-sharing, and maintaining social harmony were crucial for living.
Researchers like Robin Dunbar have explored how human societies evolved to be deeply social. Arguably, this is because maintaining group cohesion was essential to survival. Within these close-knit communities, standing out often disrupts the fragile balance of cooperation. Standing out in this case might mean hoarding resources or dominating leadership. Therefore, cutting down a “tall poppy” may have served a survival function.
Additionally, there’s evidence from anthropology that egalitarianism was a significant social norm for Paleolithic societies. Christopher Boehm, in his work Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior, argues that early human groups were “fiercely egalitarian.” Following that, group members quickly quashed any sign of inequality or dominance.
Boehm refers to this as “reverse dominance hierarchy.” This is where the group collectively ensures that no individual rises too high. Considering this might have been an adaptive strategy to maintain cooperation and prevent the monopolization of resources.
So, our genealogy heavily implies that Tall Poppy Syndrome is a psychological remnant of early egalitarian practices. However, it’s critical to acknowledge that while this behavior may have been great in the old days, the persistence of them is damaging.
From Adaptive to Maladaptive in Modern Society
In modern society, this mechanism often becomes maladaptive. Especially in large, complex, modern, and competitive environments. As societies shifted from small groups to vast civilizations, the dynamics of success and cooperation also changed. Where standing out once posed a risk to Paleolithic survival, it is now often a driver of progress and innovation. Actually, I would argue it is essential to progress and innovation.
Economist Joseph Henrich’s work in The Secret of Our Success highlights how human societies thrive on cumulative cultural evolution. He means that individuals who innovate or excel contribute significantly to collective advancement. In this context, Tall Poppy Syndrome becomes counterproductive. When we instinctively cut down individuals who stand out, we stifle the very creativity and ambition that fuel progress.
Tall Poppy Syndrome leads to resentment and efforts to pull down successful individuals. We see this in cultures that still prize modesty and egalitarianism, as there is a very difficult tension to navigate. This tension between evolutionary instincts and modern societal structures perhaps explains why and how it has persisted.
Yet, despite the progress these individuals drive, societies with deeply ingrained egalitarian values, often wrestle with this tension. I know I do internally and externally here in Aotearoa New Zealand. In environments where modesty is culturally prized, Tall Poppy Syndrome thrives, further expanding this paradox: success is necessary for societal progress, but it is often met with suspicion or hostility. This cultural pushback not only undermines individual achievement but also dis-incentivize others from striving to excel.
Often, the fear of the consequences is enough to cripple one’s passion.
Yes, this is not without its nuance
While the evolutionary argument offers one explanation for why Tall Poppy Syndrome might exist, it doesn’t account for all the complexities of human behavior.
For instance, social and cultural influences play a significant role in shaping how it manifests in different societies. In some contexts, cutting down a “tall poppy” can stem less from an instinctual need to maintain group harmony and more from deep-seated insecurities. These include jealousy, resentment, or even economic frustration. After all, modern society is far more complicated than the small groups our ancestors lived in.
Moreover, the idea that standing out was always risky may not always hold true for all situations. There are cases in early human history where leaders or those with exceptional skills were celebrated rather than cut down. If we cut down Sir Edmund Hillary for climbing Mt. Everest, that would be strange to understand. After all, human survival also relied on strong leadership, strategic thinking, and innovation. Today, however, Tall Poppy Syndrome creates a really uncomfortable paradox.
We admire those who succeed, but we’re equally quick to tear them down when they do.
Additionally, the psychological aspect can’t be ignored. Tall Poppy Syndrome can also be a form of projection. People who feel inadequate or unsuccessful criticize others to soothe their own feelings of inferiority. I know I did.
In that sense, it becomes less about maintaining social order and more about personal defense mechanisms. What was once a survival tool has grown into a way to cope with one’s own shortcomings or societal pressures.
Now what?
Understanding the origins of Tall Poppy Syndrome, both from an evolutionary and cultural perspective, gives us insight into its persistence. But the question remains: how do we overcome it in a modern context?
If we accept that Tall Poppy Syndrome is a byproduct of evolutionary and cultural pressures, the question is whether does it still serve a purpose today? Can we justify cutting down those who stand out, or has it merely become an outdated reflex that holds us back?
One could argue that in a world where competition is often fierce and inequities abound, people's instinct to bring high achievers down might stem more from jealousy and resentment. It could reflect an inherent discomfort with the unequal distribution of success, particularly in societies that highly value egalitarianism. After all, isn’t it easier to pull someone down than to question why they were allowed to rise so high?
If we look at societies like Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, where Tall Poppy syndrome is culturally ingrained, there’s a tension between collective ideals and individual achievements. It’s an insane push pull. Are we punishing individuals for their accomplishments? Or are we expressing a deeper discomfort with the systems that reward them disproportionately? Or are we just jealous that they succeeded on a level we could never dream?
Perhaps the persistence of Tall Poppy Syndrome lies in this paradox. We claim to celebrate success, but only in carefully managed doses. Too much ambition, too much visibility, and suddenly the poppy becomes a target. It’s not about whether individuals should or shouldn’t stand out, but about how society calibrates its tolerance for outliers.
At the end of the day, I still struggle with how I look at my work history, and I probably will wrestle with that forever. But it has to change, as I am my own worst enemies to the poppies I planted.
And the garden is so much more beautiful.
Bibliography
Gamble, Clive & Gowlett, J. & Dunbar, Robin. (2014). Thinking big: how the evolution of social life shaped the human mind.
Boehm, Christopher. Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior. Harvard University Press, 1999.
Henrich, Joseph. In The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter, I–VI. Princeton University Press, 2016.
