Last evening I attended a play enacted by some very well-known names in the acting community. These renowned stalwarts had drawn the entire city of Gurgaon it seemed as the venue was bursting at seams. When the senior most actor came on stage to introduce the play and thank us all for being there, he also made the oft made request for cell phones to be switched off. He jokingly commented that he apologies for inconveniencing all of us by keeping us away from our important calls, Facebook and other social media notifications but that he would be grateful for our cooperation in this.
Everyone laughed and chimed with some comments of their own too.
Lights dimmed down and the play began. Fifteen minutes into it, a phone rang.
Loudly.
Guess what?
The person decided to take the call till some peeps hushed him and asked him to step out please. That’s when he walked down the aisles and stomped outside. He was least bothered by the fact that he disturbed everyone sitting around him and his walking out and in during the performance was not conducive in the dark. But he seemed unapologetic and pretty self entitled.
Self entitlement is an attitude trait that can be pretty annoying to folks who believe in working hard and playing by the book to get where they need to be. The self entitled peeps feel they deserve all the privileges and don’t believe in working for it. They are arrogant and conceited with an OTT opinion about themselves. They wish to get it all without any effort.
Where does this trait come from? Why do some people feel they can bypass hard work to get to the top? How is it that they are so inconsiderate to rules?
My guess would be the culture which they absorbed while growing up, would be the culprit. Children absorb opinions, viewpoints and attitude traits like a dry sponge and regurgitate the same as adults, without a qualm. This is because they saw such things as daily routine and were never taught otherwise.
So these people are the ones who will drive off even when their light is red, simply because there is no traffic coming from the opposite side. They will throw garbage out of their cars. They are also the ones who will clog traffic outside a mall by parking illegally to save paying parking ticket; never mind the expensive wheels they drive in. They are the ones who will ignore the queue and head to the front as if they own the place. Try correcting them, and they will be shocked at your audacity to do so.
Self entitlement has a lot to do with being self-centred and also to some extent laziness. Simply put, good manners are in short supply with them as is common sense.
While I do speak out if I see someone cutting the queue but most often let all other things go as it’s pointless arguing with such self entitled personalities. If they haven’t learnt it all their life, my saying so to them won’t make them understand in the least.
What’s your experience with such people? Do you think there is a cure for self entitlement? If you have written a post for #MondayMusings, do drop your link in the comment section please.
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I feel it’s rather rude to not have the cellphone on silent in the first place.
I feel that some people are just ignorant and may even do this out of “stupidity”.
Many a times in a movie theatre, phones are not on silent:/. The story of the entire world.
I really don’t think you can do anything to help such people. Just, that we can stay arms length away from them.
I know some peeps forget to but most of the times I have seen these folks to be just arrogant about it. Especially in movie halls, try telling them to put it on silent and they tell you to mind your business! I dont know why people come out to watch movies when all they want to do is talk on their phones! Boggles the mind.
I also try to stay at an arm’s length; god give me strength and patience for that 😉
Oh such people annoy me so much. It definitely has something to do with the way people are raised. And I don’t have patience for such people but often there isn’t much I can do!
I hear you Naba – they get on my nerves too and I so want to smack them – sigh!!! 😉
I am a regular visitor to Prithvi Cafe. And, trust me Shalz in 90% of shows I encounter such morons. Once even Naseruddin Shah intervened and asked a person to go out, while he was performing..my instant reaction to these people is to kick them on the *** right there…good you took this up.
Ouch!! The maestro had to ask!!!!! What as idiot that person must be to not even realise then! Sad that we folks dont know how to behave while watching performances. We disrespect the artists so much- why do we even bother to come and attend such events if we cant be away from our phones? Yeah even I wish I could kick them real hard!!! 🙂
Either these people are stupid or just careless. I agree it is annoying. Sometimes I make a comment, at other times I ignore.
I hear you Rachu – I wish there was cure for these people! Maybe a finger zapper – you point your finger at them and zap them somewhere painful – uff what I could do with such a super power 😉
Self entitlement has a lot to do with being self-centred and also to some extent laziness. Simply put, good manners are in short supply with them as is common sense. – You couldn’t have said it any better, Shalini.
Like they say, educate cannot guarantee manners or class. I hate such people. I feel like walking up to them and slapping them. But if only I could do something like that and get away with it!
Sigh! we all wish to slap them – dont we!! 😉
I hope they learn some sense or atleast ensure their gen next learns it!
I hear you! and another point I would like to add is at parties when people are having a conversation, suddenly checking out your whatsapp seems so rude to the person who is talking. Sometimes I want to kick that person. It’s only because I hope I am more dignified that stops me from doing it but yes, i do pass a cutting remark or two.
Oh god! I hate meeting people who are constantly checking their phones. I put away my phone when I go to meet someone. I wish we could all kick such people and get away with it 😉
Oh, such people are everywhere! It’s very annoying. I hate it even when passengers in the bus or train play loud music or videos in their phones without considering if it would be of disturbance to anyone around. I mostly restrain from commenting on it. And yes, there are people who simply barge into the middle of the queue acting like they were always there. I often wonder how manners eluded them completely.
Dang! I had forgotten about the ones playing music or movies on their phones in public transport! They can be so so annoying too! I also wonder how has manners eluded them completely? What kind of upbringing do these folks have? Its a sad sad thing to see in grown ups.
First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to see my sketch at the top of your blog! WOW! Am honoured, Shalzy! Thank you! My art will find more audience at your blog, for sure!
Now, about the post…
Yes, I have come across such people…who think the world belongs to their dad and they are entitled to do as they wish, other people’s inconvenience be damned! I can imagine how annoying the man’s behaviour must have seemed! Despite the actor’s suggestion to switch off the phones, this person did not bother to oblige, and then had the audacity to throw around his attitude instead of apologising! Some people really have no shame, or manners, at all! And, you are right. If they couldn’t change their ways in all these years, our admonishment is not going to change them either. My hubby loves giving a piece of his mind to such characters, and he doesn’t spare them till the time he has made his point clear about their behaviour! 😛 I do get nervous when he does that, but the uncouth characters really deserve it, is what I realise it later.
I am thrilled to put it here Shilpz- cant thank you enough for doing this for me. Have you seen the accolades on twitter for this? Your work is being appreciated by all. If this leads to your art getting more eyeballs – more power to it! 🙂
Yeah these things are grating on the nerves and one does wonder what planet these ppl have descended from? In every movie hall, everytime there is atleast one idiot whose phone will ring and he will take the call.
I am with your hubby on this and would love to stand behind him and egg him on in this – dont be scared! Its one way to vent though am not entirely sure that the person gets it!
Oh! Someone I have to bear with for the sake of ‘relations’ immediately came into my mind when I started reading this post.
But if you ask me, our entire generation is a completely self entitled lot. We think we deserve things, good thing is supposed to happen to us and we cry bloody murder when something goes wrong!
I know what you are saying Namy- we have come to this day and age when all the higher education, tech opportunities and inventions have made us insensitive towards human beings. We are losing our identity in this rat race and just want to be first in everything and its all about Me!!
Excellent post. I’ve suffered insensitive and entitled people in movies in Delhi (and plays as well) and am known for shushing them loudly.
This is ridiculous. Common sense and basic decency required him to switch it off or turn it on silent even without being asked. But ignoring requests after being explicitly asked and not caring about consequences is just plain rude. But you know it’s very difficult to get through to someone this self absorbed.
It should be basic manners and it amazes me that people think they do not have to be considerate of others, I think so much goes back to how we raise our children. Thank you for being part of the #mg community
People who are entitled piss me off! Cutting queues, speaking loudly on phones in public or quiet areas, not respecting requests…ugh! But you’re right…usually they don’t get the message even if told off because they are so used to getting their own way.