Okay, so this is going to be a shorter article, and basically based on
a pet peeve of mine. I hate the word entitled, and I hate the concept
of “entitlement.” That might be going a little too far to be fair. Using
the language of “entitlement” is sometimes adequate depending on the
context. I used it against Hillary when she and the DNC demand the left
support her after basically alienating them throughout the entire
election. But this word is thrown around so much these days, it’s used
as a cheap attack on a person’s character that basically tells people to
shut up, and stop asking for more/better.
My problem with the word “entitlement” and the concept of being
“entitled” comes from how it is used in topics related to economics. It
is generally used against people who point to the unfairness of the
economic system and is used to attack them and silence them. It is a
cheap shot intended to diminish their concerns, and make their arguments
unreasonable. Ironically, it’s never the boss or owner of the means of
production is being entitled, it’s always the worker. Oh, you want a
living wage? Stop being so entitled. You need to work harder you lazy
bum (by the way, working harder doesn’t necessarily mean it’s profitable
for them to reward you for these things unless you do so at a level
where you outcompete other workers). Oh, you want more days off or more
flexibility? Stop being so entitled! We don’t owe you crap! It even is
used by people in more customer/business arrangements, normally breaking
the golden rule of businesses, that the customer is always right. If a
company releases a complex new DLC scheme that milks you for money while
providing an inferior experience compared to previous titles and you
complain, then you’re being entitled. Stop being so entitled. Just shut
up and take it. If you complain because a game has unreasonably high
system requirements above and beyond what other games do, without
justifying it, you’re once again told to shut up and stop being so
entitled.
Funny how this word is so one sided. Businesses love to throw this
work around to browbeat workers and customers and maximize their own
bottom line. As a matter of fact, that’s why they do so. It’s in their
interest to pay you less while working you harder. It’s in their
interest to cut corners on a product to save money and ship their video
games with all kinds of convoluted money making schemes. But it isn’t in
their interests that people call them out on their bullcrap or use
their economic power to condemn something. They’re never entitled and
never do any wrong, it’s always you who is the entitled one. Because you
see through their game and call them on their bull.
As I’ve stated before, economics is a two way street. It is in a
business’ interests to maximize their profits, but it’s also in your own
interests to maximize yours. And since it seems the concept of
entitlement stems from a vocal willingness to actually play the game of
economics as you should, then I’ll admit to being entitled, and heck,
I’ll even be proud of the label. Yes, I want more money for less work.
Yes, I want better video games for less money. I’m a rational self actor
too, and I plan to act like it, and I hope everyone else does too. Ya
know, if people collectively used their power in an “entitled” fashion,
then businesses would need to change their strategy. This is the logic
behind strikes and unions. People collectively stop working to demand
better pay and working conditions. It is the logic behind boycotts.
People stop buying products in order to force them to change an
unfavorable business strategy. People should want to come together and
organize in their self interests to make their lives better. It is the
only way to bring “balance to the force” so to speak in economics.
Otherwise business interests will just run right over you.
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