Now I don’t really care what industry we’re talking about, what job you work in, or who you’re surrounded by, we always encounter douchebags who think that they know shit better than you, no?
Let’s give an example. You’re an experienced server, working for your tips, in the industry for a while and doing your job right, and yet there’s always the jerk that will tell you that you need to bring them a fork (before you get a chance to), or reiterate how they like their steak done (even though you heard them four times), or insult the dressing on the salad (like you’re the one that made it). The arrogance of humanity has no bounds, and no matter what job you’re in, it arises everywhere.
Well I happen to be in the liquor industry, where arrogance is only amplified by the amount of booze people drink, and boy do I see it all. The people you thought were nice, doing incomparable things while drunk. The not so nice people, searching endlessly for love in all the inappropriate places. I’ve seen it all. And I don’t judge, because I’ve been that guy. The point is that my industry has an added factor of douchebagery to it, but what doesn’t change are the people that have some deluded sense of self worth, and feel that they belong more than you do. The “VIP’s”.
That’s just it though. This sense of ownership that can spring out of nowhere in front of your eyes. Where goes the time when people were generally thankful and said please or recognized they were getting some special treatment? I’m professionally social with people twice my age that are genuinely grateful and kind, and every time, I’m thankful for good souls. Makes we wonder, in such sharp contrast, if Lindsay and Paris really had such an effect on this generation, that they think no matter how small the city, how microcosmic the community, that they deserve to get away with more than the rest of the population? But these self important “celebrities”, people trapped in their own heads too much to realize the actuality of reality all around them, always seem to throw a wrench in the chain of peoples around them. I don’t care if you’re a banker, or a bartender, a social worker, or a TV star. Guess what? We’re all people. Despite age, despite race, despite your history, we all deserve the same respect all around, and anything else is just ignorant.
Why am I writing this? Because there’s so many good people out there that barely get recognized because they don’t create controversy. Isn’t it the bane of this age to only reward for bad behavior? Fueling controversy seems to get you so much attention. But really, a note to everyone out there. A bit of humble pie goes a long long way. I don’t care if you’re on the cover of a newspaper and want to provoke violence, or you’re a washed up queen bitter against a younger generation. I could care less if you’re a news writer thinking there are no consequences to your irresponsible actions in public. Guess what? You’re still just a human being, and once you get outside of yourself and understand that you are just relating to and communicating with other human beings no different than yourself, you might just gain enough perspective to realize that your actions and thoughts are no more privileged than the rest of us.
So next time your friend, companion, coworker, customer, does a good deed, reward it with a something positive in return, even if just a smile, and an honest thank you. Because what we really need to start doing is provoking the good natures that make our days on a regular basis. Whether it’s a spot of good advice, or a genuine concern, or a general honest positivity, let’s let THOSE people know that we appreciate them, because in doing so, we’ll be handing over less power to, and giving less attention to those that think that demanding and expecting special treatment throughout their “above average” lives is okay.
Great things abound, with a little honest humility.
Tommy D
June 9th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Don’t you know who I think I used to be Nic?
Adam
June 9th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Tommy, too funny, I was just about to say: “Nic, this is your passive aggresivo way of yelling at us… isn’t it?” :P
Allan
June 9th, 2010 at 11:37 am
This is very easily one of your best pieces of writing. You get a gold star from me! xoxo
Nic
June 9th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
LOL. I’m definitely not passive aggressive unless I’m forced to be, and well….boys…you’d know if it was you. ;p
Rachelle
June 9th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Ultimately these people inflate their own self worth and boost their ego to hide the fact they are inexplicably insecure and feel worthless.
The way I’ve had people speak/treat me and look down at me or my job just speaks volumes about their own inner selfs. And after awhile it wears you down, you start to see yourself through their eyes… That your unimportant. (You forget their opinion means nothing.)
Many talented and creative geniuses are the ones stuck serving other regular nobodies because they started to lose their belief and stopped following their dreams. I think a genuine smile/hug/positive comment to your fellow man goes a long way because you never know if that is the action that will inspire that person to greater things.
I always try to remind myself that these self involved, all important, egotistical, one dimensional, hating douche bags are at heart lonely and thus I try to treat them with the patience and kindness that a snotty little cranky child deserves…
Rachelle
June 9th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
But a smack went a long way with me as a kid…. Just saying….
Padi
June 11th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
3 hips and whole lot of hurrahs, Nic. I agree with Rachelle that they are lonely at heart and unhappy. But rewarding their actions just gives them more power. I don’t care if people are doing these things out of feelings of no self worth or they are mentally ill, they have to be told that their actions are not acceptable. But as long as they have “fame” and “riches” there will be people who will follow them to the ends of the earth, and permit them to act this way. Good piece of writing Nic.