Imposter Syndrome: It’s Not About You, It’s About Us
A systemic problem blamed on the individual and the marginalized
I recently read an article in The New Yorker titled “Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It” by Leslie Jamison.
The article goes over how the term ‘imposter syndrome’ came about, what the past reactions to this discovery of the phenomenon entailed, and how the present current of thoughts deals with it.
Reading it, I could not help but notice the roller coaster ride of emotions I felt from start to finish.
I began from agreeing profusely — ‘Oh yeah I feel like a complete phony all the time’ and ‘Of course, my parents have something to do with this’ — to the dawning realization — ‘This isn’t about us, it’s about the system!’
In the end, realizing that this article elicited too many thoughts for me to not write them out.
The problem
Imposter phenomenon is a term coined by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in the 1970s to describe feelings of fraudulence, incompetency, and not belonging, usually in the context of academic or work environments.
It’s when people feel as though they’ve duped everyone into thinking they are more competent than they actually are.
Individuals with this tendency live with the anxiety that someone will soon blow their cover. They also tend to attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than their own effort and talent.
When we look at the issue at a glance, it seems like another symptom of the current economic system.
In a capitalist society that incentivizes and thrives in competition, individuals are whipped into an endless rat race toward greater productivity and competency.
We have to constantly prove and improve our marketable skills to catch up with the ever-changing landscape of industries, chasing after career targets that are always a few too many steps ahead of us.
On this never-stopping treadmill of career development, you are just never good enough.
And thanks to a culture built around increasingly intensifying meritocracy, we more than ever associate our worth with our career accomplishments.
Who wouldn’t feel deficient?
The actual problem
The thing with the imposter phenomenon, though, is that it affects particular segments of society more than others.
Women and marginalized groups, such as people of color and LGBTQs, are more likely to experience the phenomenon.
My personal experience and those of others confirm this finding as well.
Everyone I know who has confessed imposter feelings was either a woman, minority, queer, or some combination of these identities.
Now, why would that be?
Recent discussions on this issue reveal that it’s not about the individual experiencing the imposter phenomenon but rather the environment that surrounds the individual that is triggering such feelings.
White male-dominated environments leave little space for other identities to feel included.
Lack of representation especially figures large with this issue, and the constant microaggressions place doubts on the individual’s capabilities, contributing to the feeling of inadequacy.
Studies show that such environments create barriers to the career advancement and well-being of women and marginalized groups.
The misplaced blame
So we’ve been focusing on the wrong thing.
Instead of questioning and reshaping work and school environments, we’ve been placing the burden of fixing this issue on marginalized individuals.
The rise of the term imposter ‘syndrome’ is worth noting, as it insinuates an out-of-the-norm medical condition.
The term was popularized against the intent of Clance and Imes who specifically used the term ‘imposter phenomenon’ to normalize the experience rather than pathologize the individual.
When the finger is pointed at the individual, the onus is on them; they have to put in the work to restructure their mental space to fight against their “insecurities.”
It’s another incidence of society projecting its issues onto the individual, gaslighting everyone on the way.
Numerous articles and books have been published along this line of logic.
For instance, suggesting that if you harbor imposter feelings, you should “psyche yourself up,” “say your name aloud,” and “unsubscribe from doubt” as if these mental tricks are enough to break through the systemic prejudices and disadvantages.
Moving forward
We are doing better, though.
There have been more voices pointing out the sexism, racism, and other biases that contribute to this endemic experience of imposter feelings.
We need this kind of coalition and solidarity.
Institutions also need to do a better job hiring and promoting more diverse personnel, training leadership on the issues of racism and sexism, and holding people accountable for microaggressions and racist behaviors.
Give people space to be themselves and be appreciated; offer tangible support and make them feel included; and make institutions diverse.
It’d be quite difficult for anyone to feel like an imposter when you feel truly valued, seen, and welcomed. 🤷🏾♂️
