Envy

Am I the only one who doesn't like being proven wrong about how smart he thinks someone is? And if the someone does better than you at something, meaning that she or he could be at least as smart or even smarter than you, it burns. Which is why comparing yourself with others, especially when there is no clear way of ascertaining who is better, usually ends badly. You either come away with a chip on your shoulder or smouldering with bitterness. In other words, you either feel superior or inferior. Feeling a little bit of inferior can push you to work harder, and feeling a little superior can bolster your confidence. But you seldom hit the sweetspot, often overshooting into the territory of unabashed arrogance or inferiority. But coming back to the topic of being proven wrong about someone else's intelligence. It is humbling and an indication of one's own intellectual limits.