Entitlement

What is the deal with feelings of entitlement? It seems that many people from a variety of backgrounds and contexts show this personality trait.

Seems to me that entitlement overdrive can take 2 forms. One is based on historical expectation and the other is rooted in envy and resentment.

Some people feel entitled to keep getting the same level of goodies and rewards as "they have become accustomed". We see this kind of entitlement expection in the stereotypical spoiled brats of the world. This can come from the very rich or from anyone who has become accustomed to getting things that were not earned. Receiving things that were not earned is the root of the problem. A false perception of superiority builds inside the individual. Any changes that might cause a reduction in benefits is usually not welcome. This kind of entitlement complex has a historical expectation basis. Even though this variety is real, it usually only results in whining or other harmless yet crass social behaviors.

Envy and/or resentment causes some of the same symptoms. People in this camp resent not getting things that they have not earned. IOW, they see others who get benefits that they do not or perceive that they cannot ever have. This causes resentment toward those who enjoy those benefits. Envy causes them to lash out at a particular social class or society at large. This can manifest itself in physical violence or relatively harmless one-upmanship (for example, getting your friends to wait in a long line, then call you on your cell phone when they are close to the front so you can move past others who are paying the dues of waiting). Of course, this kind of behavior sidesteps the reality of earning the benefit.

The root solution to either of these manifestations of entitlement is commitment to taking what we earn and no more. We all have feelings of entitlement from time to time. When we feel this coming on we should stop and ask ourselves "have I earned this?".