Dashed Expectations

This post is in response to Nic's post: "Ingrateful Lepers," especially the last part where he talks about self-entitlement. I didn't want to leave this as a comment because it's long. Anyway, I've recently begun to realize something that goes right along with what Nic is saying in his post. The biggest problem I run into with people at my job is when they're expecting something and it's not there, and then they end up disappointed and angry. When someone comes in expecting scrambled eggs and bacon, but we're only serving hard-boiled eggs and sausage, they get mad at me. I think that they have these expectations of what they think they deserve or what they think they are entitled to.

One of my professors once said, "Happiness is reasonable expectations" and that has really stuck with me. I've seen the evidence of this everywhere, even in my own life. I've realized that the times when I get upset/frustrated with Justin are always the times when I expect something from him, something that I didn't communicate and so, therefore, something he had no knowledge about.

I bet if we made up a schedule at work of what we were serving every day and gave it to the guests when they check in, it would reduce the amount of disappointed people considerably. Their expectations would match what is actually going to be there. Of course, there will always be those people who feel entitled to things just because they do. Those people are frustrating. Maybe this is because we, as people, are entitled to certain things like freedom, being treated humanely, etc. and then we take it too far and get carried away.

Justin and I have talked extensively on this subject. We've also talked about the fact that most people (me included) feel on edge a lot because we feel like people are going to take advantage of us, or rip us off, because it happens so often. Everyone is so wary of people they don't know. Example: the other day Justin and I went to Staples to get a hard-disc-holder-thingy and they wanted us to sign up for their free rewards card. Sure, why not, right? The guy told us one of the perks is that if we bring in our empty ink cartridges, they will pay us three dollars an ink cartridge. Awesome. So, a few days later we rounded up 10 empty cartridges and carted them to Staples. She handed us a receipt back. Oh, because the guy didn't tell us that the money goes on our account and at the end of the quarter they mail you a check.

When Justin and I left, we were kind of annoyed. Why didn't he tell us? It's not a big deal, not to us. Then we started talking about this idea that he probably didn't tell us because he was afraid we would freak out, that we would think he was trying to trick us somehow, and that we wouldn't sign up for the stupid rewards program. And we understood this because both Justin and I have worked in customer service for years, and people are always wary of anything you tell them, even if you're trying to help them save money, or give them something free, or anything. This ties into what I was saying in the beginning. Customers come up to the counter at Hollywood Video, expecting to rent a movie, and Justin starts telling them about promotions and discounts and packages...He is violating their expectations, and they think he's trying to trick them, so they freak out. They get angry, offended, impatient. They demand more, or something different, and get mad when he tells them it doesn't work that way.

I guess what I'm trying to say with all of this is that although it's very annoying when someone feels entitled, I can understand why they feel that way. (Except for the stupid people that feel entitled because they think they are the best thing ever.) I think people are good, and they're trying to live the best way they know how, but they get caught up in all this stuff that puts them in the defensive. They get angry to self-protect.

This is starting to sound a little preachy, and I don't mean it that way at all. Believe me, I can barely handle people who feel all entitled. Today at work I served hard-boiled eggs, sausage patties, and hashbrowns. This man came up to me and asked, "Do you have any real eggs?" Hm...real eggs, huh? I guess he didn't consider hard-boiled eggs "real." I nearly lost it at him. I think I need a new profession. And suggestions?

See how I couldn't just put all this in a comment?? Oh, and sorry Bryan, you probably didn't want to read all this either. Maybe someday all blog posts will just be videos and keyboards will go extinct. :)