Tall Poppy Syndrome: The Punishment for Standing Out

Yurino Hisamori
4 days ago
4 min read

The tallest, ever-growing, vibrant red poppy—in theory, should be revered in a field of green. But in reality, it’s often the first to be cut down.

In a world that claims to celebrate success, why do we so often punish those who stand out? Why is excellence met not with applause, but with eye rolls, rumours, or subtle sabotage?

This phenomenon is known as Tall Poppy Syndrome—a social tendency to criticise and undermine individuals who achieve more than the perceived norm. Whether it’s in classrooms, workplace meetings, or social media platforms, tall poppies often find themselves the target of quiet hostility. The class topper who is ostracised by classmates. The employee-of-the-month who’s left out of the work lunch. The beautiful influencer who gets bombarded with hate comments on the daily. None of this is uncommon—not because excellence is bad—but too much excellence is bad. The moment someone rises above the rest, admiration begins to sour into resentment

This article explores the psychology behind Tall Poppy Syndrome: why we fear standing out, why those who rise are often ostracised, how we police success, and what it costs us—both individually and collectively.

What is Tall Poppy Syndrome?

Tall poppy syndrome refers to a social phenomenon where individuals are criticised, ostracised, or undermined as a result of their perceived success of excellence. The term uses ‘poppies’ as a metaphor: in a field of poppies, the tallest one—the one that dares to rise above the rest—is often the first to be cut down.

Tall poppy syndrome is without a doubt, deeply harmful to the well-being of those who experience it. It can manifest in various ways, including:

Gossiping about the person behind their back
Downplaying or dismissing their accomplishments
Being openly hostile or sarcastic toward them
Excluding them in social settings
Mocking them for “trying too hard” or “showing off”
Giving them the silent treatment or coldness

The term finds its symbolic origins in ancient Rome, when the tyrannical king, Tarquin the Proud, instructed his son to kill or remove all the most powerful men in an area that resisted his rule (Geng, 2024)—sending a clear message: eliminate the tallest poppies who dare rise above King Tarquin.

While the origins are from ancient history, the phenomenon is very much alive today, and is silently proliferating our day-to-day social settings. Tall Poppy syndrome was popularised in Australia and New Zealand, where egalitarian values scrutinise those who do not conform, often discouraging standing out from the crowd. However, it can now be observed globally—with many cultures having their own spin to the sentiment. In Japan, there’s the saying “the nail that sticks up gets hammered down” (出る杭は打たれる)—and in the Netherlands, there’s the expression “don't put your head above ground level” (boven het maaiveld uitsteken) .

Why People Become Tall Poppy Cutters

Several psychological forces can drive Tall Poppy behaviour:

Envy: Particularly, malicious envy—which leads people to resent those who are better off than them, due to their perceived inferiority.
Self-threat: High achievers can challenge people’s self concept—making people look at their own achievements, leaving them feeling inadequate.
Conformity pressure: The desire to maintain harmony is an innate human trait— we see pulling down those who stand out as an easy way to do this.
Social comparison theory: Seeing someone succeed can make others feel as if they are behind, even if the success poses no effect on them personally.

It is important to note that often, Tall Poppy behaviours often emerge not out of cruelty, but out of discomfort and insecurity with ourselves. When someone else’s excellence feels like a spotlight on our own shortcomings, we may instinctively try to dim their light to stay hidden in the shadows.

The Cost of Tall Poppy Syndrome

The consequences of Tall Poppy syndrome are far-reaching on multiple levels:

For the individual: It can lead to anxiety, imposter syndrome, or loneliness.
For society: Innovation and leadership are stifled when people fear standing out.
For group dynamics: It fosters anti-growth culture and toxic peer pressure—and an environment where mediocrity reigns supreme.

What Can Be Done

Tall Poppy Syndrome can’t be solved overnight; but there are ways to push back against the very mentality that fuels it:

Encourage vulnerability. Share not just success stories, but the effort and setbacks behind them too.
Choose your audience wisely. Got a good grade in a subject you usually struggle with? Celebrate with your ride-or-die friends, not classmates who ask for the sake of comparison!
Practice self-worth and resilience in face of social backlash: Be so confident in yourself, so much so that you are not easily shaken by the ignorance of others.
Stop seeking external validation. Celebration and approval are two different things—your achievements do not need approval to be meaningful.
Promote cultures of supportive competition. Don’t contribute or join other tall poppy cutters!

Perhaps, if we all chose to be the sun, the rain, and the soil that nurtures those around us, we could all grow into tall poppies together. Aim to change the narrative from “Don’t stand out”, to “Lift others as you rise”.

Reference list

Cortez, A. (2024). Cutting the tallest poppy. [online] The Collegian. Available at: https://fscollegian.com/2024/11/cutting-the-tallest-poppy/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2025].

Geng, C. (2024). What to know about tall poppy syndrome. [online] Medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/tall-poppy-syndrome#who-it-affects [Accessed 13 Jul. 2025].

Mamas, M.A. (2023). Cutting tall poppies down to size lessons from the tyrants of ancient Rome. European Heart Journal, [online] 45(7), pp.498–499. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad708.