What's being discussed here looks a lot like one of the three negative individualisation types: by striving to be better than peers in order to look down upon them, by imitating the greater ones for personal gain, and by the fear of the greater ones.
The weird part is if you show them up or prove that you're better than them in some way they become extremely ass kissing.
I find it disingenuous and gross and it seems that a lot of people are like this if not most people.
Maybe this is just the normal human hierarchy at work and I have autism and I don't connect with it.
I just try to treat everyone equally and fairly and kindly. I guess I'm the weirdo.