"Sense of Entitlement"

[SS4]

I don't think there are - I think that because we live in the age of social media where it's easier to get your voice heard than ever before, we hear about all sorts of things that would never have been considered important enough for broadcast and end up with the impression things are worse, regardless of whether they really are or not.

I would also throw the nostalgia filter in there too. Complaining about the next generation goes back to the ancient Greeks.

 

[Busaholic]

The two people whom I immediately thought of

1) The Grand Old Duke of York, in the news again today
2) 'Sir' Philip Green

Both so puffed up they could explode at any minute and take out half the surrounding area.

 

[mikeg]

I dare say some people have always had a sense of entitlement. Feudal lords, for sure. The Victorian bourgeoisie? Definitely. But let's be clear, I think in any civilised society there are entitlements - that you will never end up on the street or that you should never have to choose between heating and eating being examples that come to mind. Unfortunately, particularly for working age people our society falls short on these measures.
I wouldn't say it's a recent thing, the elderly can be the worst. Number of time I've heard twirlies moan that their travel should be free all the time when their generation has already taken more in benefits than they paid in taxes and people younger than them have to rely on food banks...

 

[Busaholic]

I dare say some people have always had a sense of entitlement. Feudal lords, for sure. The Victorian bourgeoisie? Definitely. But let's be clear, I think in any civilised society there are entitlements - that you will never end up on the street or that you should never have to choose between heating and eating being examples that come to mind. Unfortunately, particularly for working age people our society falls short on these measures.
I wouldn't say it's a recent thing, the elderly can be the worst. Number of time I've heard twirlies moan that their travel should be free all the time when their generation has already taken more in benefits than they paid in taxes and people younger than them have to rely on food banks...

There was I just about to agree with you until I read the second paragraph. Who are all these old people who think everything should be free for them? I don't know any who think this way. I've just spent £45 on petrol for my car- I'd never for a minute think I should get it cheaper just because I'm 68. I do, however, think I'd get it cheaper, along with everyone else, if an irredeemably stupid decision had not been made on June 23rd, but let's not go there.

 

[mikeg]

To be fair, I phrased it badly. There are some who think like that, I've seen and heard them, but by no means all and quite probably a minority. But I do find that there's a lot of well-off pensioners who moan about those significantly worse off than them receiving state entitlements, blind to the fact they are themselves. But I don't mean to tar all elderly with the same brush and apologise if it came across this way.

 

[TheKnightWho]

There was I just about to agree with you until I read the second paragraph. Who are all these old people who think everything should be free for them? I don't know any who think this way. I've just spent £45 on petrol for my car- I'd never for a minute think I should get it cheaper just because I'm 68. I do, however, think I'd get it cheaper, along with everyone else, if an irredeemably stupid decision had not been made on June 23rd, but let's not go there.

I think you get entitled people in all age categories. Usually those who are the first to shout about it in other people; it's basic psychological projection.

I'm not talking about all people who complain about things (as I'd be grossly hypocritical if I did), but specifically about those who feel the need to constantly denigrate and deride those who aren't like them and how unfair it is they get various things, whilst being the first to moan if others direct the same attitude towards them.

 

[yorkie]

I think you get entitled people in all age categories....

Absolutely.

Overall I think we live in a better society than before; there is much more tolerance, less poverty, more opportunities and other positive improvements.

I think that what can cause people to get a sense of 'entitlement' is being spoilt, or becoming used to getting their own way all the time.

There have been spoilt brats around since time immemorial, but I am concerned there are perhaps more kids being spoilt (and over-protected, but that's another story for another thread!) these days than ever before.

 

[Bevan Price]

Refusal to fold a pram on a bus to allow a wheelchair user to board.

Refusal to give up a seat for someone who needs it more than them / the reserver.

Etc

1. There have always been selfish inconsiderate people - and there are also some wheelchair users who think they are more important than everybody else.


2. That is partly a consequence of the toy-sized trains on many lines. People are going to be reluctant to give up a seat if that means they are likely to have to stand in an overcrowded train for the next hour or three.

They will also be reluctant to move because of rail operator's incompetence, due to failure to display which seats are reserved when the passenger boards the train.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I saw a brilliant quote recently, which sums up the attitude:

What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?

The author? Plato, in the 4th Century BC.

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

 

[Blamethrower]

I saw a brilliant quote recently, which sums up the attitude:



The author? Plato, in the 4th Century BC.

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

Agree

I think the sense of entitlement since the year 2000 has meant that everyone has a right to be offended. Essentially if you, or a company, or a government, don't bend over backwards to accommodate the needs of this one person, you throw a hissy fit, complain to newspapers, managers, police etc.

It all stems from minority pressure groups getting priority treatment. "Hey if they're getting their ar535 wiped for them then why can't I? I've paid my taxes etc etc"

So we're all just battling against each other for preferential treatment, like a bunch of kids.

The welfare state now pervades the entire social class system. The British hate to see success, they just want it all on a plate and hate it when someone gets a freee leggup when you get diddly.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It all stems from minority pressure groups getting priority treatment. "Hey if they're getting their ar535 wiped for them then why can't I? I've paid my taxes etc etc"

I think you've rather missed my point, which was that people have been whining about the "over-entitled youth of today" for 6000 years and counting.

Today's baby-boomers whining about "generation snowflake" were the ones being whined about in the 50s. The people doing the whining in the 50s were the flappers in the 20s. The ones doing the whining in the 20s grew up as the Decadents in the 1880s. And so it goes on and on, all the way back through history.

 

[ExRes]

The British hate to see success, they just want it all on a plate and hate it when someone gets a freee leggup when you get diddly.

Speak for yourself sunshine, some of us have worked all our lives, paid for ourselves, our parents and our grandparents, gone without to buy our own property and paid into a pension, that's wanting it all on a plate?

 

[J-2739]

I think he means politics?

 

[ExRes]

I think he means politics?

I don't think that is the case at all, when he says British he, presumably, means British, seems quite clear to me

 

[DarloRich]

Is a sense of entitlement necessarily a bad thing? Is it not better we know our rights and act to see them protected?

 

[tony_mac]

The author? Plato, in the 4th Century BC.

Although he didn't write it.
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/01/misbehaving-children-in-ancient-times/

 

[Tetchytyke]

Although he didn't write it.

You learn something new every day.

You'll be telling me Bob Holness didn't play sax on Baker Street next

 

[Busaholic]

You'll be telling me Bob Holness didn't play sax on Baker Street next

No, but he used to make a few bob in front of Selfridge's on a good day

 

[TheKnightWho]

Is a sense of entitlement necessarily a bad thing? Is it not better we know our rights and act to see them protected?

There's entitlement and then there's being selfishly entitled. I think one is about asserting your rights and status in society, and the other is about placing your own selfish needs above others. A lot of people don't know how to distinguish the two.

 

[DarloRich]

There's entitlement and then there's being selfishly entitled. I think one is about asserting your rights and status in society, and the other is about placing your own selfish needs above others. A lot of people don't know how to distinguish the two.

agreed - on both sides of the argument!