Why are some blue collar people so resentful?

Question

I've noticed this at different jobs I've worked at and places I've shopped in it seems like the lady who rings the convenience store register or the guy who drives the forklift have this inflated sense of pride and persecution. I've worked various jobs where the receptionist treats visitors like garbage or the dude who cuts the grass treats the college kid on his crew like an a-----e for having a summer job. What's with that? How do they work any harder than a computer programmer? Why should anyone care? Toby Keith doesn't sing songs for doctors or teachers, so why should they feel anymore persecuted or entitled. What do you think? Have you made this observation. Or, in the words of the guy who smashes drywall, "man, what say you?"

Apparently, I need to clarify. Firstly, "sarahsmom"'s belligerent, sanctimonious tirade was a bit extreme. I never said all or most blue collar people come across as resentful. What I did say was that there seems to be an inflated sense of persecution. That said, having doen blue collar work before, I can certainly relate to rude consumers and angry people. I just don't understand why someone would react that way to the question, when in doing so they appear to be supporting an observation of mine. Seems ridiculous.

Answer 1

Because a lot of them struggle to pay their bills. They see things like home theatre systems and huge plasma screen tvs they THINK they need (you know, like people who drive suv's), so that ultimately, if they get it, they're doing it with credit cards at a high interest rate.

I've noticed the negativity in some old friends that are stuck in the under-paid rut, barely getting by, but never from friends that are able to buy what they like (within reason).

And yes, these people are stepped on all day by people who think that they're lives take priority over everyone elses. Do I sound bitter? I'm not, but I used to be blue collar and it gets really tiring dealing with people that think they are "better" than others.

Note: I have a friend with a living room approx. 11 X 15, and he put surround sound in it. Thats pretty pathetic, considering how small the room is, but hey, others had it, so he had to have it too....The debt continues to pile up.......

Answer 2

Because they get treated like dirt ALL DAY LONG and it rubs off.

I also was a cashier while in college and you get treated like dirt, not only by customers, but by management. cough...wal-mart. It makes it very hard some days to be nice to everyone.

On another note, cashiers and receptionists are not blue collar workers, rather "pink collar" which represents service workers. The forklift guy and the lawn dude are blue collar.