As a pilot I personally find no reason to feel either feel inadequate or superior to an ATCO.
ATCOs do their job, I do mine. Sometimes their job is easier than mine, sometimes not, especially bearing in mind that I have only one aircraft to deal with, whilst sometimes they have many. I try to do my job to the best of my professional ability, without making theirs more difficult. We are all trying to achieve the same thing at the end of the day, namely to move aircraft safely from A to B, are we not?
Arrogant folk exist in all professions and trades. Some of them feel the need to slag off others, possibly to bolster their own feelings of self worth and to overcome their underlying sense of inadequacy.
I find the best defence is to have the inner confidence to turn away and avoid arrogant people without getting involved in any argument. They usually aren't worth more than a shrug of the shoulders.
