For anyone that's read Mickey Royal's book and understands the concept of having to be above people for them to look up to you, not walking with the peasant's, etc... Brad Pitt's character in moneyball is a shining example of this. If you haven't seen it then do so and pay close attention to that character, doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself and he conveys it completely...he behaves like everyone is beneath him.
This is just absurd. Absolutely grade A narcissistic bullshit. You are mistaking correlation with causation. Truth is someone at a position of influence might be looked up to at least by one person he works with, given the fact that he has established his authority.
How is authority firmly established? As the leader you direct others towards a path and achieve concrete goals. Case in point, Brad Pitt in that movie.
At a distribution curve if such a person has authority and a base degree of perceived success (or at least is in the process of getting there with tangible results), he will be looked up to based on his achievements alone. It doesn't matter if he is the biggest asshole in the world or the nicest guy on the planet, why? Because he delivered his end or side of the deal with results. This establishes a certain degree of respect and admiration, which for the sake of this argument lets call it base level respect.
A loser who is an asshole and believes he is above everyone will be treated for the loser he is. Believing you are above everybody else when you have nothing to show for it, will not have people look up to you. There is no level of base respect acquired.
Conversely, if a person in a position of authority amasses great success through concrete results, he establishes a level of base respect based on his/her achievements alone. This level of base respect can be amplified and reach a wider scale, if that person is humble and walks through the peasants, and makes them feel like they matter. Observe the world around you: Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo, Wallstreet Bankers vs Muhammad Yunus, etc. Why? Because there is no reason for them to prove or try to overcompensate by thinking they are better than anyone else. Their results speak for themselves.
The stuff you talk about Star Above, might play out in the social realm because you can fake your way into having a base level respect for a while, especially in first impressions. It is critical to point out that on a transactional basis of concrete results, you can't fake it. You have to earn it. Then you can do whatever you want and treat others like crap or not, and go wild thinking you are above others, because you have earned that, and your results are above what an average person in that industry accomplishes. But it's not the chicken before the egg.
Completely different scenario.
Have you watched the movie ?
Not once (if I remember) does he criticize / destroy other's point of views just to prove he's above them.
It's the other way around : HE PLAYS BY HIS RULES, so WHEN he says something (taking the players based on statistic ratings rather than 'belief' of greatness) he KNOWS will be revolutionary,
he doesn't NEED (in his opinion) to take shit from NOBODY who don't believe, THAT'S why he cut them loose / criticize people (in their face too, gotta respect that at least).
Reminds me of a quote from Matrix :
"Random guy I don't remember : Not everyone believe Neo's the one.
Morpheus : Luckily my belief doesn't require that they do".
It was HIS path (BP's character), so if people give him shit for thinking how he thinks, ... he discards them like a MAN would do.
There's a fine distinction between feeling the need to TELL everybody you're better (which is a sign of the contrary, or 'grade A narcissistic bullshit' as you put it), and just BEING YOURSELF, doing what you know you should do, and DISCARD others when they try to put you down (that's a sign you have complete confidence in yourself).
"Loving yourself is not a matter of building your ego. Egotism is proving you are worthwhile after you have sunk into hating yourself. Loving yourself will dissolve your ego: you will feel no need to prove you are superior."
Just my 2 trillion cents, and some epic quotes (damn that big ego ...)