I'm sure that group identification is hard-wired into us as a survival trait. Building up the group, and conversely, putting down everyone else helps to maintain group cohesion. If group A isn't somehow superior to group B then people might just decide to switch. Unfortunately, abstract notions of superiority pften become so irrational that they lead to the ultimate expression of superiority, violence. People kill each other over their identification with a race, a religion, a nation or even a sports team. I wonder if the police are still guarding that Cubs fan who interfered with the game? Fortunately, differences over art are less likely to lead to murder though it has certainly happened and more than one artist got sent to some gulag for not getting with the current regime's idea of proper art. Sometimes people confuse process with results. Someone who spent weeks modeling a figure in Lightwave to create an image is probably going to feel some resentment if someone else gets equal praise for an image they created with Poser. That's natural but it misses the point that the viewer really may not care. If the process is enjoyable and fulfilling for you (as it should be), then it shouldn't matter to you either. In reality though, all of us at times find that internal validation not quite enough and need more. Some things in life, like love and art shouldn't be about keeping score but it happens anyway. Refusing to play the game won't end it but you'll be a lot have a lot more fun :-)

"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H. L. Mencken