We are in a very competitive society where more and more demands are made on each person. Both in the workplace and in other vital aspects, we are asked for excellence, originality, creativity, efficiency and high proactivity. However, on the other hand, there is a tremendous pressure towards uniformity , and those who excel in some talent or skill are often despised .

This means that sometimes those with the best skills are not hired or are not hired at all, harassed and humiliated. This is the Procusto syndrome , which I will explain in more detail below.

What is Procusto syndrome?

The so-called Procusto syndrome refers to the tendency of some people, companies or even societies to reject those with characteristics different from their own for fear of being overtaken or questioned by them . There is a tendency to try to maintain a constant uniformity in which divergences are badly seen and/or punished.

In this way , attitudes of discrimination and even a certain level of harassment are established towards the person who stands out and is considered to threaten one’s position or esteem. Their ideas are ignored or distorted, attempts at proactivity and creativity are criticized. If the relationship with this person cannot be avoided, the aim is for the person to remain within limits that do not exceed the possibilities of the person who rejects them, exerting pressure in such a way as to obtain a certain homogeneity in the capacities manifested behaviourally.

Often the contact between the two subjects is intended to be correct and not to manifest itself in an apparently direct manner, although the relationships tend to deteriorate over time .

Normally it is given towards people who may be above, but sometimes it is also rejected to people who are considered to have lesser capacities than their own (in this case it is intended to modify them so that they adapt to the world vision of the person with this syndrome).

What kind of people are saying this?

Procusto syndrome usually occurs in people with a high level of frustration and little sense of control , having low or labile self-esteem. On occasions they have suffered humiliation and different stressful and traumatic events that have caused them to doubt their own capacity, making them averse to people who are perceived as superior or likely to be so.

Also the opposite may occur, a person with an exaggerated self-esteem to almost narcissistic limits who sees that others stand out and are taken more seriously than themselves.

Whoever exercises this attitude can carry it out both consciously and unconsciously. While the former would directly try to harm the outstanding person by being threatened, the latter would tend to think that his point of view is the right one and that it is others who must adapt to it.

Name origins: Greek myth of Procustus

In order to understand this syndrome more easily, it may be useful to know the origin of its name, which is closely linked to the characteristics of the syndrome in question. This origin is found in the Greek myth of Procrustes.

Procusto, also known as Damastes , is according to Greek mythology one of the sons of the god Poseidon. This being welcomed travelers into his home and gave them great hospitality, with a friendly and willing treatment, offering them to spend the night in his abode.

However, when the guests fell asleep, Procusto gagged them and checked whether their size differed from the iron bed in which he was lying. If the person in question exceeded the size of the bed, Procusto would cut off the elements that protruded from it. If the person was shorter and did not occupy the entire bed, he would break the bones with a mallet in order to stretch them. In short, he always made his visitors adjust to the measurements of his bed.

This would come to an end with the arrival of Theseus , who would propose to him to see if the Procustus himself complied with the measurements of his bed and, after observing that it was bigger, he would proceed to apply the same punishment that the Procustus gave to his guests, cutting off his head and killing him.

This myth reflects the pressure to uniformity that is characteristic of the syndrome with the same name, as well as the initially affectionate and welcoming attitude that many people who manifest this syndrome imprint on their interaction, without any apparent discomfort or conflict.

Areas where it is observed

Procusto syndrome can be seen in virtually any environment, and can have serious effects on both the person who might excel. Some of the settings in which this syndrome is visible are as follows.

Academic field

In the academic field, those who stand out are often badly considered , both by some of their classmates and sometimes even by the teachers themselves. In fact, even in childhood, many gifted children strive to obtain grades within the average (we are talking about cases in which this is done consciously for this reason and not because they consider learning to be unstimulating), especially in the case of girls due to issues related to gender stereotypes.

On some occasions the Procusto syndrome has been seen in cases where different students and professionals have publicly criticised and humiliated others, because they may have felt inferior in abilities or seen their prestige endangered if the other stands out. This may occur even in the teacher-student relationship when the former has low self-esteem.

It causes an environment that can generate harassment and limitation of the capacities, not being able to reach the maximum potential of the attacked subject and producing a damage both to the formation that is being exercised and to the subject attacked by the person who manifests the syndrome of Procrust, which can be influenced both in the short and long term.

Work environment

This is the sector in which the Procusto syndrome may be most evident, especially in the business sector, as there is a high degree of competitiveness in the market and it may be possible for other people who are more prepared or have better skills to be more suitable for the job in question.

In this area, the person who stands out will try not to do so, underestimating his or her contributions or even appropriating them , establishing an excessive level of control over the subject in question, and in some cases, rumours are spread about him or her or his or her work in order to discredit them. In some cases where the person who feels threatened has the power to do so, he or she may not hire or promote the most efficient people but rather others who are more manageable and may pose less of a threat.

For the company in question, the Procusto syndrome is clearly detrimental, as it does not allow the company’s capacities and resources to be enhanced and makes it more difficult to expand and succeed. Teamwork is made difficult and a climate of tension is created that is clearly harmful to the health of both the subjects involved and the institution they represent.

Personal sphere

Procusto syndrome is not only limited to the professional or academic, but can also extend to the personal. In these cases family, friends or partners will be constantly criticized and the failures or discomfort that the person may feel as a threat (in this case towards self-esteem by considering that he may be better than the individual himself) will produce a certain level of joy and satisfaction (although it may sometimes be tarnished by guilt when done unconsciously).

There may be a tendency to avoid people who consider themselves superior in some characteristics. For example, people with Procusto syndrome will avoid potential partners who are more attractive or intelligent than they are . If the person is not close, they will tend to isolate, abandon or diminish their self-esteem in order to reduce their skills.

In this case, both the person with Procusto syndrome and the victim will be affected, causing a toxic relationship if at all, and generating suffering for both parties.