Magboot kaw? The retort was given by a student who came to
school wearing skimpy shorts. The guard asked why she was dressed that way and
the girl answered back as if her clothes were appropriate to an academic
environment. Other students seemed to blame the guard for asking the question
as if they are entitled to do anything even if this is NOT acceptable to the
school norms anymore.
Khan (2019) says that
entitlement is defined as "an unrealistic, unmerited or inappropriate
expectation of favorable living conditions and favorable treatment at the hands
of others."
Since the Philippines
is now adapting to the opening of its doors to the “world culture,” the
orientation of the young and adults seems to experience a divide. One of these
gaps is the sense of entitlement of the young as if they deserve to do
everything they fancy putting traditions, culture and values on the sidelines.
Statistics show that
65% of American adults think that millennials are entitled. There are different
reasons why they become self-entitled. It can be because of parenting, their sense
of “ownership” to the world, or the fact that their generation has been more
intellectually trained and skilled than other generations before them (Brown,
2018).
As a country, we were
under the Spanish mindset for so long that we inherited the disciplinarian way.
We trained our kids to behave and NOT answer or talk back to adults. Once they
did, being punished was expected. The older ones got accustomed to this that it
will be a questionable act to talk back especially NOT following their
directions. The young persons will then be labeled as a rebel or “suplado” if
they “break the rules”.
When the country
joined with the United Nations, legislation on children’s rights became a
reality. We then linked to the universal declarations and acculturation came
in. Schools became learner-centered and everything is then focused to the
customer. Principals and teachers became service-providers and now, the clients
could question the way they are being SERVED.
Are these concepts and
technological advancements the causal factors of being entitled among the
young?
In society,
entitlement is often perceived differently from a sense of entitlement. While
the latter breeds negative connotations, Psychology Today cites entitlement as
"an enduring personality trait, characterized by the belief that one
deserves preferences and resources that others do not." At its best,
entitlement can be viewed as confidence and self-assurance, and at its worst,
the trait can be perceived as narcissism.
More often than not,
a sense of entitlement manifests in various common forms. According to A
Conscious Re-Thinker, the most frequent displays of negative entitlement
include the inability to compromise with others, impractical demands, an
attitude of supremacy, habitual anger towards people, and self-pity. Granted,
all people have a sense of entitlement, to some degree, but when extreme or
regular manifestations take place, it then becomes highly problematic.
Countless people have
questioned the psychological roots of the dreaded sense of entitlement. Why do
certain people believe they deserve admiration, respect, dominance, etc. when
they have not truly earned it? What caused this? Is it an inherent trait or a
characteristic that one picks up over time?
Psychology Today
states that a sense of entitlement can manifest as an offshoot of experiencing
maltreatment or being treated with contempt by other people. Essentially, the
sense of entitlement becomes a coping method, only taken to the extreme. For
instance, someone whose childhood lacked the same toys, games, and clothes of
their more fortunate counterparts may grow up with a sense of entitlement.
Rooted in resentment, the person who missed out on a plentiful childhood may
believe that he or she deserves to have the finer things in life or deserves to
be treated as special. Although missing out on certain childhood experiences is
unfortunate, the overcompensation can be equally as damaging to their
individual, if not more.
Persons who suffer
from a sense of entitlement also tend to see their peers and other people
around them as competition and struggle to compromise or reach negotiate on
mutually beneficial agreements. A sense of entitlement is the epitome of the
"Me! Me! Me!" attitude where the world is supposed to revolve around
the person and what they want. However, this is not how life works. Ultimately,
the individual with a sense of entitlement takes, yet rarely gives, prioritizes
themselves over others at virtually all times, and fancy themselves as superior
to others (Khan, 2019).
Be it bad parenting, acculturation,
mental disorder or traumatic childhood, we still adhere to the belief the
RESPECT begets respect. We might have a good sense of self-image yet we must
know that others deserve to be treated well… As much as we want to be treaded
fairly.
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