Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun idiomatic A way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you." The
metaphor refers to a pot ofcrabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.
Etymologies
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From Tagalog
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vendingmachine commented on the word crab mentality
Crab mentality, also known as crab theory, crabs in a bucket (also barrel, basket, or pot) mentality, or the crab-bucket effect, is a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can you, The metaphor is derived from a pattern of behavior noted in crabs when they are trapped in a bucket. While any one crab could easily escape, its efforts will be undermined by others, ensuring the group's collective demise. As such, the crab mentality shares some features in common with a similar phenomenon of human behavior called tall poppy syndrome.
January 27, 2022