I watched a reality TV program the
other day which focused on people who let their parking meter expire. Okay, to
be honest it was only the commercial. I couldn't actually bring myself to watch
the show. Anyway, cameras were on-hand to film the reactions as violators
returned to their vehicle to discover a parking ticket. The violators
invariably freaked out. "It was only a minute!" they argued. My response (and
the response of the official who issued said citation) was: tough.
Maybe it’s just me, but have you
noticed the growing sense of entitlement in America? Sure, we’re the world’s
only superpower and the defenders of liberty and all, but does that give us the
right to act elitist (especially among ourselves)? Now before you denounce
this as simple paranoia, let me cite a few instances based on personal observations and see if you can apply them to your experiences.
The Shoppers. I deal with
this every time I go for groceries and the experience inspired me to postpone
this errand as late in the day as possible to minimize occurrences. Few people pay attention where they are going, you see. They push their carts obstinately forward,
staring off at oblique angles as they browse. Without a few dexterous maneuvers on my part, collision would be inevitable. And
while shopping cart crashes do not tend to be fatal, they certainly fall squarely into
the nuisance category. I realized many modern Americans subconsciously (or
perhaps consciously) remove responsibility from themselves and, in doing so,
place it on others. Thank goodness these entitled folks pay greater attention
behind the wheel, right? Wrong. Read on:
The Non-signalers. Speaking
of driving, I estimate roughly one-third of motorists whom I encounter fail
to engage their directional signal when making a turn. Big deal, you say. But
this is more than a petty inconvenience – it’s dangerous. It’s not
their fault, though; they have their hands full. One hand clasps a cell phone
against an ear (despite growing
distracted driving laws) and the other tips coffee against the lips. Mother Nature
made feet for pedal controls and knees for steering wheels, but neglected to
add an appendage for signaling. How unfortunate. And can
someone please tell me how it’s possible to speak into a phone and drink coffee
at the same time? Entitled yet talented, I admit.
The Pedestrians. Non-signalers
aren’t the only road hazards. The Pedestrians feel so entitled they imagine
themselves immortal. I’ve stood on my brakes so frequently in the past year to
avoid hitting jaywalkers, it’s a wonder they haven’t yet required replacement. (The
brakes, that is, not the jaywalkers.) If
I had a dollar for every time someone has traipsed into the street without gaining the right-of-way or a even so much as a flippant
backward glance, I’d be writing this post from a luxury resort in the
Caribbean. It’s a good thing I bought pedestrian insurance – I have a
feeling I’ll need it one day.
It is not my intention for this
discourse to be a rant. It should be read merely as a warning for a few things
of which to be wary in our ever-expanding world. No one wants to claim
responsibility for anything anymore and, really, who can blame them? Entitlement
is so much more glamorous…and easier. I move that we make a conscious effort to
resist this temptation and accept accountability for our actions. Who’s with me?
Of course, you may disagree with me
completely. No problem. You are, after all, entitled to an opinion.
