Entitlement Sucks

One observation I’ve had lately is how entitled people have become.  As Americans, we are perhaps the most entitled people on Earth.  Entitled to get an education, get a job, take vacations, have insurance, retire and live a fulfilling life.  Very seldom in an American’s life are survival skills tested.  Fortunate right?  I’m not so sure.  The two extremes are excess and survival, and like most things the sweet spot might be somewhere in the middle.  The thought of “earning” or “achieving” something is admirable and everyone loves a story of strife where perseverance and commitment pay off.  Entitlement, the silver spoon, and inheriting privilege is less admirable – perhaps because entitlement so often leads to squander.

This is one by product that I don’t like about living the American dream.  It is so easily taken for granted.  Being unemployed for the better part of a year helped me realize that I was taking A LOT for granted in my life.  But now that I’m back to work I find myself slipping back into the entitlement mentality.  I’m giving it an honest attempt not to do so, but it happens.

Why?  And what can be done to keep entitlement at a distance? 

The only solution I’ve found is to continually seek out and interface with people who are struggling.  Home-less, hungry, job-less, family-less – doesn’t really matter.  Just stay connected to those who need and want way more than you.  That will keep your humility meter high, or at least higher.  When you spend too much time with those as privileged (or more privileged) than you are, you are on the fast track to increased dosage of entitlement mentality.  And that sucks.  It’s unappealing to me on every level and when I see it in an employee population, with my kids/family, or worse yet in myself, I try to stop and think about the toughest times for me (not survival by any means, but challenging to my self-esteem) to get myself out of that thinking.  

Do either of you have any other strategies for keeping entitlement mentality at bay?