Mark Morford has hit on something I've been noticing with increasing regularity in his column. (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/01/29/notes012910.DTL)
I want instant service. I want it right, and I want it now. I want it because I know you can give it to me, if only you wanted to, but because you're difficult you won't.
I want cooperation, and I want it now. Who made up all these rules, anyway? You? Why do you want to hurt me so? What'd I ever do to you that you'd want to do that to me?
I deserve to have something astounding, and I'm not sure why you think you can pass off that latest version of dreck as something new and improved.
You can't make a mistake, have a bad day, be subjected to a technology slowdown, have other customers waiting, because I expect more. I expect it now, and I want it now.
Could you please, and I'm only saying please because I've been told it's polite, but I really shouldn't have to be polite to get what I want and DESERVE, so this little nicety should really put me at the front of the list, and why haven't you given me what I want yet?
I am but a deserving innocent consumer in a world stacked against me, and why can't everyone else just get with the program?
I'm just asking. If it were up to me, which of course it isn't, because what is? Nothing, I am a victim of this cruel and incompetent world where everyone else, at least all those people I don't know, are for some reason that I can't quite put my finger on, not cooperating with my agenda.
I know what's best, and I know what you need, and I know what I need. A good swift kick in the pants, that's what you need. And me? I just need what I deserve. I don't have time for human limitations, and I shouldn't be expected to endure them.
So just give me what I want, give it to me now, and it better be right or you're gonna pay, yes you will. I'll tell everyone how horrible you are, and you'll regret the day you messed with me.
Not only does the world revolve around me, but I am subjected to such an assortment of ill-mannered, rude, incompetent, needy people it's a wonder my head doesn't explode with the injustice of it all.
Oh wait. I think I hear the sound of . . . something's happening . . . is that my head imploding? WHY ME?
These past decades, I've seen generations emerge who have been taught all about entitlement. These same people have learned to hold others to a higher level of expectation than they themselves would ever expect to be held. Because their Mommy told them they were 'special' as they grew up. And now those birds have started to come home to roost.
ReplyDeleteAll you have to do to see this is follow some of the commenters on blogs or bulletin boards to experience that nasty judgmental attitude coming out of people who can't even make a logical argument if their lives depended on it. It's like some people now want to show how they too can be a bully. Because they can. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Monique, you see it everywhere. People drive on our streets like there's no one else around and they expect everyone to drive like them or get the hell out of their way. And when the first dot-com boom hitin the late 90's, OMFG - it simply reinforced that concept of 'There are no rules - just break 'em all!'
In some of my lectures to young entrepreneurs and startups, I talk about first learning how to use a coloring book and staying inside the lines. If your Mommy raised you telling you that every piece of crap you colored was wonderful, real life will indeed be disappointing when you grow up. I also used to talk about why you don't cross the solid yellow line that's painted down the middle of that freeway; there's a reason it's there. Cross over that line and there are consequences.
Unfortunately, I keep running into more and more entitled idiots who just haven't figured it out and it keeps making our society meaner... and dumber. Maybe it's just me getting older but then again maybe some of us older guys just might have enough experience and common sense to be listened to.
I'm afraid Idiocracy is coming and there isn't much we can do about it.
P.S. - Oh - and I like the new look on your blog!