People act like children when they see someone trying to evolve.

I’ve noticed a disturbing pattern in social groups: people often behave like kids in a playground when one of their peers tries to change for the better.

If someone who was lonely or quiet decides to stand up, become more social, or improve their life, the "group" rarely cheers for them. Instead, they try to pull them back down. They use ridicule, "cringe" labels, or constant reminders of who that person used to be. It’s like they have a silent agreement that everyone must stay in their assigned "box" forever.

Is it because an individual's growth forces the rest of the group to look at their own stagnation? Why is it that the very people who criticize you for being "lonely" are the same ones who mock you when you try to change it?

It feels like most adult social dynamics are just high-school-level bullying disguised as "valid criticism."