What's with the sense of entitlement?

@wiccania (3360)
United States
October 3, 2010 12:59am CST
I work at a grocery store and I see it every day. People who think that they deserve better than everyone else at the grocery store. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone demand that the store open up an extra register just to ring them up, because they don't want to wait in line. Ok, I could see if we were talking about 3 or 4 people in line in front of them, but usually it's ONE PERSON being rung up and no one else in line. Even better, I monitor the self-check out station in my store. I get people all day long who demand that I ring them up on the self-check out machine because they don't know how to use them and don't want to learn. Well if you don't want to learn how to use self-check out, then you need to go to a cash register and have them ring you up. Then there are the people wanting refunds! Now, I understand if it's a bad product or something, but we get people in who bought a PSP at one store (same chain, but different owners) for $200, happened into our store and saw that we had it on sale for $140 and tried to demand that we give her the $60 difference. Sorry, no. I swear, people just have this attitude that they're somehow above the rules or entitled to more than the other guy got. I just don't understand the attitude. Seriously. Anyone else noticing this?
5 people like this
7 responses
@mensab (4200)
• Philippines
3 Oct 10
yes, it is annoying that people think like that. i like the way you pointed out their actions. i could remember one or two instances where i witnessed something like that. at times, these people are just acting out on self-importance. they see that they deserve some special treatment because of what they think they are. it is time to give them a dose of reality. i know it is difficult because of your situation being in a service sector, but give them some jab anyhow.
• United States
3 Oct 10
Yes. I think the reason is that No one taught them compassion or common curiosity. Think about. For a generation , many parents are so busy and the kids are alone with the video games. Instead of being taught How to think of others , they Only think of themselves. And so they just focus on their wants and needs and assume the world revolves around them. Thanks for telling me about the customer at the self shelf check oout. I saw the same thing happening At my supermarket. My sister got all upset. Now I know what happened.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
20 Nov 11
I think you got a great explanation here sarah. Sometimee I'm overcome with hate for people's sense of entitlement that I fail to see the real cause for it. Yes, they may have not been taught when they were young.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Nov 11
You have to learn to be empathic.
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
30 Nov 10
I have worked in a local grocery store too and I have seen the same. It is ridiculous the way people will treat the people who are working there and are expected to give them good service.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
3 Oct 10
Hi Wiccania, I work in a store too. The store I work in is a convenience store in a small town so you get to know all the local people pretty well. Its unbelievable how people feel that because you know them that you should break all the rules for them. I had one lady just last week call me up. She has been going through a very tough time financially and wanted me to let her charge a few things at the store. We are not supposed to let people run tabs at all. Still, I know this lady and knew that she would be good for the money and I agreed to bend the rules this one time for her. Then she takes it a step further by calling me a couple of hours later. Her car is low on gas and she wanted to dictate a list of her needs and have me deliver them to her house when I got out of work at 11pm.!! She got a bit ticked off at me but I had to at that point just say NO. I don't know what she was thinking but we have cameras and a cop sits outside the store while I close at night. How cool would it look for me to be walking out of the store with unpaid for merchandise?? I wasn't willing to go that far and this lady hung up on me and I haven't seen her since. People are just unbelievable.
@Monkeyrose (2840)
• Canada
7 Oct 10
haha I've worked in retail for over ten years and I have definately seen this. I too worked at a grocery store for 8 years. Its crazy how people treat employees. However, I'm at the point where most of it doesn't shock me. I don't expect much from the human race. This way when someone is nice It makes me feel real good inside. I think we are all disconnecting from each other and loosing our empathy. We need to get back to the community and understanding of our fellow human being.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
20 Nov 11
I just raised a discussion about how I hate people's sense of entitlement, and this discussion popped up in the history. I also can't believe how some people think that they are the center of the world, and everything should revolve around them. It's annoying.
@ktosea (2025)
• China
3 Oct 10
Well.actually I have also noticed these for several times, I just choose to ignore the cases.when the customer buying things in a strore,they just act like that they are god,and everything he did this is entitled. People got lazy I guess, so that there are self-checck out machines,why don't we try to help ourselves and learn to use it. it will save his time too... BTW: I have never see a self-check out machine in this city yet. I belive it's amazing and if got chances I will try it myself