Venting "Entitled"

[Sprite_Geist]

Another of my irritable rants that will go nowhere...

So Entitlement... Another one of those words that you hear a lot. It's sometimes heard in discussions about relationships: "You're not entitled to love!". It can also be heard in politics too: "Nobody owes you free healthcare! Don't be so entitled!". What's interesting, though, is that a lot of people (from personal experience) who throw around this word will also say that suicide is "selfish" or wrong for a multitude of reasons. Isn't this a bit hypocritical?

If we are not "entitled" to kindness, compassion, friendship, basic decency or anything at all in this world then surely no one should be "entitled" to anything from us - including our lives; which means that they shouldn't label suicide as selfish. In fact berating a suicidal person for wanting to end it all is a form of entitlement in a way. Rant over.

I just felt the need to vent my frustration at something that I perceive as a double-standard.

 

[Dookieshoes]

I can get on board with this, but from a different perspective. I hate the trend that people will hear a single word, and use it in any situation with the weakest relationship. Entitlement, ignorance, privilege, hero, coward, selfish even.

If taking the word by its intention, to be selfish is to act for one's own profit or pleasure without the consideration of others. I don't view the act of suicide as selfish.

I think people today jump on popular opinions expressed by a soundbyte, and don't take the time to think about the words they are echoing.

I agree that their is a double standard in your example.

 

[Sprite_Geist]

I can get on board with this, but from a different perspective. I hate the trend that people will hear a single word, and use it in any situation with the weakest relationship. Entitlement, ignorance, privilege, hero, coward, selfish even.

If taking the word by its intention, to be selfish is to act for one's own profit or pleasure without the consideration of others. I don't view the act of suicide as selfish.

I think people today jump on popular opinions expressed by a soundbyte, and don't take the time to think about the words they are echoing.

I agree that their is a double standard in your example.

That's an interesting take. Thank you for your response!

I can actually see what you are saying about words being overused and echoed; in fact I am guilty of doing that myself - just look at my initial post for example. I said that "entitlement" is often used by the same the same folks who say that suicide is wrong. Thinking about what you have just said: This is perhaps an unfair generalization on my behalf, and should not always judge things based off of personal experience.

 

[rhiino]

It is because people are stupid and don't really think about what they say in the first place (like @Dookieshoes said). I think both stances you mentioned come from a lack of empathy and are therefore heard in combination from the very same people, although they do not really fit together.

I mean, think about it. Isn't this something you would expect from a person that does not care for you? "You are not entitled to..."
Isn't this also something you would expect from a person that does not care for you? "Suicide is selfish."

 

[VIBRITANNIA]

in most cases, people don't actually care about what leads someone to suicide, they just care about having another cog in the machine. i agree that it's entitled to prevent a suicidal person from ending their life, or berating them for wanting to do so. if you're going to say that nobody owes you anything, that means anything. even their life. it's their life, not yours.

 

[Deleted member 17949]

The line is rarely used against people expressing feelings of entitlement anyway. Wanting something and feeling entitled to it are not the same; I am fully aware that I am not naturally entitled to anything really, but I still need to want and pursue certain things to live.

 

[FohPah]

Everybody feels entitled to something; they just take it for granted until someone threatens to take it away.