Yes. My definition of “imposter syndrome” is not “imposters”. It is an independent and diagnostically valuable delusion in which someone, despite good evidence via their achievements, believes they are incompetent frauds. My thesis is that people who truly underestimate themselves are rare and that imposter syndrome as defined here is not really a prevalent delusion, but a meme propagated because it is psychologically comforting.
Identity thieves do not suffer from imposter syndrome because their self-perception is correct and is not part of a wider pattern of inconsistent reasoning.
[I reply multiple times to comments with multiple independent critiques of my post]
Imposter syndrome is supposed to be a *delusion*. If you are actively impersonating someone, thinking you are doing that is not imposter syndrome.
The post states that “impostor syndrome does not exist”. Is this meant seriously and straightforwardly?
Yes. My definition of “imposter syndrome” is not “imposters”. It is an independent and diagnostically valuable delusion in which someone, despite good evidence via their achievements, believes they are incompetent frauds. My thesis is that people who truly underestimate themselves are rare and that imposter syndrome as defined here is not really a prevalent delusion, but a meme propagated because it is psychologically comforting.
Identity thieves do not suffer from imposter syndrome because their self-perception is correct and is not part of a wider pattern of inconsistent reasoning.