Here’s the thing. I truly believe that people, deep down inside, are about self-fulfillment. I am convinced that in a simpler age self fulfillment was much easier. If your life consists of hunting, gathering, and the occasional sexual act your life is satisfied if you can meet those three needs. As we developed an increasingly complex world it became harder and harder to find fulfillment.
Sort of.
Perhaps now fulfillment is primarily attached to one key vector: respect. I present to you the curious case of the Arizona Del Taco Clerk:
When I stepped back to think about what was really going on here, I saw one key thing: Both sides of the conflict wanted respect. Obviously the guy at the window felt affronted and entitled and definitely felt like he deserved the respect of the customer. Meanwhile the customers were literally trying to get this guy fired because they felt disrespected. This conflict can be mapped on to any existing disagreement and have the same stakes. Both sides want respect and always have a different idea of what respect looks like and how to receive it.
Was the guy a jerk? Yeah, sure, but aren’t the customers doing the same thing by creating and continuing to maintain the situation? In truth, the store had the right to refuse service and the manager could have leaned on the tactic of calling the cops to force these guys out–thus forcing them to respect his will in some fashion.
I’m really tired of people trying to destroy each other. If we want respect we ought to try a new approach to this time we all share on the planet. We ought to work together to find a way to make the world a better place and not try to push someone down in the midsts of what was clearly a bad day. I don’t know the dude. He might be an asshole. Still doesn’t make it right to ruin him.