Why do most Americans feel "Entitled"?

Question

Why is it that those who make minimum wage or barely over minimum wage feel like they're ENTITLED to live in the same houses, drive the same cars, and live the same lifestyles as those who earn more? Why do they feel that those who earn more OWE them something? Why do they feel like the "rich" should pay more of their fair share to help fund social programs and welfare, but don't feel as if they should have to pay any taxes at all? Why do they feel as though they DESERVE the same things that so many of us have worked our asss's off to EARN?

Answer 1

As a teacher, when I first read your question (minus the extra details) I thought you were making an interesting point about our youth today. Why do our middle/higher class kids feel entitled to automatically make six figures, have an Audi/BMW, have the best clothes. These kids didn't do the hard work; their parents did. Yet, many of these kids grow up to be burdens on those who have supported them. Before you attack the poor, realize that entitlement works both ways...

Answer 2

This bizarre sense of entitlement happened, I believe, because of how skewed and lopsided salaries and incomes have become.

Think of it this way: fifty years ago, most people respected the value of a dollar, and conscientiously saved their money. Then came a new type of rich person, the "instant" rock star, the grossly overpaid athlete, and suddenly people started having a very warped view of money. Nowadays we see barely literate rappers who live in multi-million dollar mansions, while someone with a PhD has trouble even getting a job. Because of this, we don't see that old fashioned relationship between working hard, being responsible, and saving money. People are too accustomed to seeing people who seem to have just had money practically thrown at them.

Therefore, is it any wonder that someone slaving away in a miserable minimum wage job starts to feel like the people he sees driving BMW's or living in a $2 million gated house somehow did not earn that money honestly, or that the system favored them somehow? The person earning minimum wage can't even fathom ever earning enough to buy the car parked in the driveway, much less the home. Hence, there is a huge disconnect between peoples' perception of money.

Somehow, people have gotten the impression that the rich have acquired their wealth by exploiting the average person. While this may be true in some cases, the modern economy has allowed average people of modest skills and education to live lives of plenty our parents couldn't even dream of.

This anger people have leads them to have an inflated sense of entitlement, as if the rich person only became rich through taking advantage of many poor people. For the same reason, formerly colonized nations assert that they are poor due to their colonial past. Just as most rich people amassed their money through tireless work and dedication, the West did not become prosperous due to exploiting Third World countries, and if anyone doubts this, I invite them to read the following fascinating article by Dinesh D'Sousa.

Answer 3

I find its the upper income people who feel entitled to do what they want without regard to the environment or pollution or simple good taste. Its the well off that complain about taxes especially on unearned income. I'm pretty sure not one of the upper income office sitters would trade their six figure salaries for the five figure salaries of a road crew worker, or a night nurse, or a miner. Yet those are all jobs they look down on. Working your asss off to earn means one thing to one person, and another thing to another. Lower income workers don't feel entitled, but they sure don't understand the bitchin' in the executive lunch club either.

Answer 4

I think you are confused or misinformed.

I have heard anyone who makes minimum wage or a little over that say they are entitled to have the things you mentioned.

Most just want and need adequate health care and fair business practices in the work place.
A fair wage for a days work.

Why is that so much to ask for?

Not everyone values the things you've mentioned as the basis of their success!!

Answer 5

They are such losers so what if the good paying jobs are shrinking they should just suck it up and be glad the live here where healthcare is ranked 37th in the world and where CEO's make 460 times what the average worker does, and who cares if Ling Pong now has your $15.00 job but makes 37 cents a day, God they act like a living wage and affordable healtcare are some kind of right and not a privilage granted by the rich silly Americans, next thing they'll want is a safe place to live and a Government that respects the Constitution

Answer 6

The real welfare queens in America are the super-rich. They do no productive work but instead live off of the wealth they expropriate from the working class. Labor produces everything! The role of the capitalist is to expropriate the wealth created by labor into his own coffers. Those who do not deserve the wealth they enjoy are the super-rich.

Answer 7

i actual do no longer think of you want a phd for that. i've got not got one and its uncomplicated experience. one in each of those is going correct back to whilst i became speaking approximately there is not any blended whilst it is composed of black and white. you're the two one or the different. Its merely the way society treats us. it is likewise why as quickly as I attempt to describe to human beings how once you bypass distant places the black human beings experience that they are area of the country. as quickly as I went to england, those theory they have been english. no longer black human beings. area of the country. right here merely asserting black american ISNT american. And having a black president merely made human beings overlook on the subject of the actuality. merely approximately like putting icing on a cake that no longer accomplished baking yet. you merely fooled human beings reason the right layer in all hazard seems and tast great yet your cake won't be accomplished yet. you may desire to bake it a sprint extra.

Answer 8

Minimum wage jobs should be reserved for the entry level, and student employees.
It is the responsibility of everyone to move up and out of these jobs. They should not be a comfortable place to have a career.
If everyone would do better for themselves ... we'd all do better.

Answer 9

Mainly because that has been conditioned into their minds, so now they believe it wholeheartedly as the gospel truth. If you depend too much on government, they own you body and sould, so when that happens, don't bellyache when your rights and freedoms are reduced to zilch.Gerald Ford once said, a government big enough to give you everything, is big enough to take everything from you".

Answer 10

Welfare Poem

I cross ocean, poor and broke,
Take bus, see employment folk.

Nice man treat me good in there,
Say I need to see welfare.

Welfare say, 'You come no more,
We send cash right to your door.'

Welfare checks, they make you wealthy,
Medicaid it keep you healthy!

By and by, I got plenty money,
Thanks to you, American dummy.

Write to friends in motherland,
Tell them 'come fast as you can.'

They come in turbans and Ford trucks,
I buy big house with welfare bucks.

They come here, we live together,
More welfare checks, it gets better!

Fourteen families, they moving in,
But neighbor's patience wearing thin.

Finally, American moves away,
Now I buy his house, and then I say,

'Find more aliens for house to rent.'
And in the yard I put a tent.

Send for family they just trash,
But they, too, draw welfare cash!

Everything is very good,
And soon we own the neighborhood.

We have hobby it's called breeding,
Welfare pay for baby feeding.

Kids need dentist? Wife need pills?
We get free! We got no bills!

American crazy! He pay all year,
To keep welfare running here.

We think America darn good place!
Too darn good for the American race.

If they no like us, they can scram,
Got lots of room in Pakistan .