The predicament of the individualist
Ambitious people with low self esteem tend to want to take the glory for themselves. As they depricate themselves when they feel bad, they have an impulse to glorify themselves when they feel good. They first beat themselves up excessively when things are bad, to pat themselves excessively on the back when things are good. And while they are beating themselves up, they want no help from anyone as it would suggest their fallibility. It suggests their imperfection, and threatens their view of themselves as perfect. When things heading in the right direction they are patting themselves on the back, they give credit to no one as it threatens their sense of superiority, of grandiosity, and anticipated glory. In summary there is a certain self-absorption in both self-glorification as well as in self-deprecation. They are both just as offensive. It’s the predicament of the individualist.