crab mentality

Crabs in a bucket can easily escape from the bucket one at a time, but instead of doing that they pull each other down whenever one rises to the top - thus insuring their collective demise.

This is analogous to the behavior of a person who diminishes or pulls down anyone else who achieves or is about to achieve success greater than their own.

Crab mentality: We all like to see our friends get ahead, but not too far ahead.

If I can't have it, no one can have it.

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