People suck!

[piplover]

You know, I just don't get it.  If you make a mistake, take responsibitly for it. If something is wrong, then work with the people who can help you. But I really don't know where this whole "I'm me, so I deserve everything I ever wanted!" attitude has come from.  People are so rude and mean, and then throw temper tantrums when they don't get their way. I expect this behavior from 5 year olds, not adults. 

It just boggles my mind how people think that being rude, swearing, calling names, or otherwise being a complete dick will get their issue resolved.  I mean, I'll go out of my way to help someone who needs it and is nice. But if you're being a twat?  Yeah, sorry, buddy. 

I don't know. It just doesn't make sense to me how people can be this way. 

Comments

[charleygirl.livejournal.com]

Makes no sense to me, either. I just cannot understand why they think that making a scene and treating the person trying to help them appallingly will somehow make that person want to go the extra mile, because it won't.

There was a bloke in our place yesterday who was taking up N's time wanting a pen we don't stock. N asked me about them, so I attempted to back him up in explaining that we'd never sold the pens, only to have the git remark to N (ignoring me) that it was 'so confusing being served by two or three people. I want to deal with just one.' My response was to leave and send a mental 'f**k you then!' in his direction.

[piplover.livejournal.com]

Yuck. It makes me so mad when people are like that. I just want to ask, "What the hell is wrong with you?" And what's sad is, it's not even all young people, but older people who should know better are throwing tantrums, too.

[charleygirl.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, where I work it's almost always the older people causing the problems, especially pensioners.

[dreamflower]

Thing is, some people have learned that they CAN get what they want by being rude and throwing tantrums-- starts in childhood when Mom or Dad gives them whatever the heck they want just to shut them up, and continues in adulthood for the same reason: most sane and rational people do not like dealing with people who are acting insane and irrational, so they humor them to get a bit of peace and quiet. Which of course only reinforces the problem.

And then there is the situation where they DON'T get humored-- either because they CAN'T be (as in the example given by the commenter above) or because they've encountered someone a little more firm-minded than they are used to. Then they REALLY pitch a fit, because they simply can't believe they are not getting their own way.

[katherineokelly.livejournal.com]

Well said. As a person with a strong sense of justice, it really bothers me how often the unreasonable customer DOES get what they want by throwing a fit.

I remember working in a retail store, letting a customer know they couldn't return an opened DVD (I was holding strictly to company policy.) She demanded to see a manager and the manager allowed her to return it without hesitation. I was irked enough that the manager would go against store policy for no apparent reason, but the real cherry on top was the disdainful smug little smile the customer gave me as she turned away from the counter. "I knew I was going to get my way," that smile said. And she was right.


I think this behavior also stems from a special kind of narcissism where a person thinks of himself as the leading role where everyone else is just playing a supporting part. Other people aren't really "people"; they're a little "less than" our leading man. It truly shocks them when one of these side characters refuses or talks back.

I think racism and sexism also stems from this attitude of "other people aren't really people; they're here to serve me or at least shut up."

[dreamflower]

Yep. The majority of the time these people know exactly what they are doing. Rudeness is simply a weapon in their arsenal in their war against anyone or anything that would deny them.

And I suspect that you are also right about the narcissism. It's what fuels so many of these so-called "reality" shows. The principals on those shows are pretty much delighted by the fact that suddenly they actually ARE the star of their own show!

[katherineokelly.livejournal.com]

The plethora of brand names worshiping "you" (the customer) is a clear nod to this same idea: iPhone, iPod, YouTube, MySpace... There's a very possessive ME/MINE/ALL-ABOUT-ME mentality catered to in these names. As if consumers weren't coddled enough. O_o

[piplover.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hate the smug customers! And I hate it when supervisors or manages give in to it. It may make the customer happy, but it sets a bad precedence and makes the associate look bad. Grrrr.

Good point about the narcissism. I think part of the problem, too, is the technology. Phones and internet are very much a single person thing. No matter how much social networking you do, you don't have to learn to compromise and play nice with others like you do in real life. It drives me nuts, because the people growing up today are missing out on vital lessons that have been important to maturing since man basically began. They don't have to interact with others to learn, and it's teaching them really bad habits.

Damn kids, get off my lawn!! *Waves cane*

[piplover.livejournal.com]

OMG, I can't agree more! My friend has 3 kids, and it drove me nuts how she would let them get away with murder. She kept saying, "It's just easier, and it's too exhausting to keep fighting." I've had to literally bite my tongue to keep from telling her that she shouldn't have had kids, then.

Spoiling kids to the point where they have the attitude that the world owes them doesn't do any good for anyone. It drives me nuts!