Does status or Money make you arrogant ?

[Alanslegal]

I witnessed extremely poor behaviour whilst I was checking into the St Regis New York early today

The man probably late 40's early 50's was behaving like a pork chop, making demands, seemed extremely unhappy with something, the two check in agents were quite flustered at his demands and it appeared they were bending over backwards to try and meet those (even if they appeared to me unreasonable).

I am right behind them and check in so I can kind of hear what's going on.

So anyway to make things worse, his wife was also getting involved, and I can hear her (and because I know that this might take a while I decide to just park myself on a nice chair a couple of metres away from the action instead of standing).

I then hear that she is getting 2 x $100 spa vouchers (maybe as compensation?) and then she shoves them to her daughter (in her late teens) and says, 'maybe you can use them, get a facial or massage'.

Soon I then know that the reason why they are upset ... its because they booked two rooms, its 2:45pm, and official check in time is 4:00pm and one of the rooms is currently not ready yet.

The man keeps making statements to the effect that "they better be nice rooms" etc.

And when the the check in staff offer the escort to the room, the man picks up his hand luggage, angrily declines and goes to the lifts and makes his own way.

I can see that the two check in ladies were quite upset in that encounter .... so I give them some time to cool down a little and I then I go to check-in, with my grin from ear to ear, feeling a bit guilty that I am staying in their hotel for $0.00 which I admit to her. She tells me its all ok, smiles, and at least I think she knows again that there are nice people out there

 

[Deleted member]

On the topic of treating all people with good manners regardless of any real or perceived "status", I recently flew from TSV and was waiting outside the QP with 5 or so others prior to opening, a couple who said g'day. When the doors opened, I waited to let the others go through in front as I wanted to check in. Approached the desk and said: "good morning, how are you?". Lounge lady said "Sir you are the first and only person who has said that to me today". Given the others in front were all at least double my age and in suits, I was surprised. Given exit rows without asking (as NB) and am averaging 90% over 3 years with manners being the only key. Smiles and manners cost nothing, but often pay dividends.

Well done you. There should be more like you

 

[kmjsyd]

I fully agree with alanslegal, turbo, and other posters. I am a member of some wine club and usually they call me around 7pm for some special offer. Usually conversation starts like this: "Good evening, Mr kmjsyd. How are you this evening?" "Good, thank you. how are you?" "...You are the first person to ask me how I am today. You are kind. Thank you for asking." 'First person for the day' around 7pm?
Yes, I occasionally receive some discount or something extra from shops, restaurants, and etc. for that reason, but that is not the reason why I do that. To me, it is a must to respect and care about other people and I do not think I am superior to shop assistant, FA, or any customer service officers and I believed that everyone was the same. Maybe, I am wrong about it.

 

[burmans]

I fully agree with alanslegal, turbo, and other posters. I am a member of some wine club and usually they call me around 7pm for some special offer. Usually conversation starts like this: "Good evening, Mr kmjsyd. How are you this evening?" "Good, thank you. how are you?" "...You are the first person to ask me how I am today. You are kind. Thank you for asking." 'First person for the day' around 7pm?
Yes, I occasionally receive some discount or something extra from shops, restaurants, and etc. for that reason, but that is not the reason why I do that. To me, it is a must to respect and care about other people and I do not think I am superior to shop assistant, FA, or any customer service officers and I believed that everyone was the same. Maybe, I am wrong about it.

Does it work in selling you that wine!

 

[PineappleSkip]

I grew up the smallest boy in the class. Astro boy size in year 12. Arrogance never fitted with that stature. But I do like priority queues and champers in the lounge. Don't need too much status to get that!

Actually I sometimes feel slightly sorry for arrogant people when they don't even realise their arrogance, crashing through the world with a Mrs Bucket like social blindness, leaving relief and sometimes laughter in their wake.

Cheers skip

PS This comment isn't directed at anyone in particular.

 

[Lawlass]

This thread reminds me of a show I will admit to loving in the UK. It was one of those ‘reality-entertainment’ shows called Personal Services Required. The premise was families trying out prospective housekeepers with a view to employing them full time. Three people would do a 48-hour trial and then one of them may or may not be offered the job.

One of the potential employers had obviously come into money fairly recently and used every opportunity they could to point out their wealth to friends, neighbours, acquaintances, shopkeepers etc.

Despite their (loud, repeated) assertions of wealth, they essentially wanted one person to work a 16-hour day as cook, cleaner, nanny, chauffeur, PA and a housekeeper and eventually offered the job to one candidate… for GBP 250 per week. (She knocked it back)

It was fabulously cringe-worthy TV. An article in The Guardian summed up these people:

“They're a family called the Grassos, but might as well be a plateful of ****s called The ****s. The Grassos are a family of three: two wobbly designer Moomins called Danny and Gabriella, and their demanding daughter. Gabriella in particular beggars belief. She wants the house cleaned top to bottom. She wants the taps and light switches polished till they shine like samurai blades. She wants her daughter picked up from school. She wants breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided on demand. She wants her buttocks pulled gently apart each time she blows off. OK, she doesn't want that. But she does want her housekeeper to don a demeaning chauffeur's uniform - replete with little peaked cap - and follow her round the shops while she buys ghastly tat for her nasty home.

She wants all of this and more. Mainly, though, it seems she wants someone she can boss around and feel superior to, preferably in public, with all the neighbours watching. You get the sense she'd be happy to make them live in a kennel and drink from a bowl. Words don't do her justice. Nor, I suspect, would insulting cartoons. It's worth tuning in just to see how thoroughly unpleasant a modern human being can be. Gabriella's surely some kind of warning.

Stare at her. Stare in horrified wonder. Or get a minion to stare in horrified wonder for you. If you're lazy.

The prospective housekeeper who was made to follow the woman around the shops in the chauffeur's uniform carrying parcels (and had more class in his little finger than this family could manage en masse) summed up their behaviour: 'What are they - chavvy Lottery winners?'

Of course I know editing can be manipulative in so-called 'reality tv' (hell, I'm writing a book about it), but it was an awesome guilty pleasure trainwreck-tv.

 

[jetlagger]

This thread reminds me of a show I will admit to loving in the UK. It was one of those ‘reality-entertainment’ shows called Personal Services Required. The premise was families trying out prospective housekeepers with a view to employing them full time. Three people would do a 48-hour trial and then one of them may or may not be offered the job.

One of the potential employers had obviously come into money fairly recently and used every opportunity they could to point out their wealth to friends, neighbours, acquaintances, shopkeepers etc.

Despite their (loud, repeated) assertions of wealth, they essentially wanted one person to work a 16-hour day as cook, cleaner, nanny, chauffeur, PA and a housekeeper and eventually offered the job to one candidate… for GBP 250 per week. (She knocked it back)

It was fabulously cringe-worthy TV. An article in The Guardian summed up these people:



The prospective housekeeper who was made to follow the woman around the shops in the chauffeur's uniform carrying parcels (and had more class in his little finger than this family could manage en masse) summed up their behaviour: 'What are they - chavvy Lottery winners?'

Of course I know editing can be manipulative in so-called 'reality tv' (hell, I'm writing a book about it), but it was an awesome guilty pleasure trainwreck-tv.

All 'moneyed up" & no class.. I've surely witnessed this type of behaviour in so many corners of the world.. humanity rears its ugly side all too frequently at times.. Though it surely provides entertainment value, especially the DYKWIA types at the airport/hotel, that we all observe all too often :shock:

 

[amaroo]

Money is not the only factor for rotten behaviour......alcohol consumption is another that comes to mind

 

[samiam]

Money is not the only factor for rotten behaviour......alcohol consumption is another that comes to mind

Hmmm rotten maybe - debauched most likely

 

[TonyHancock]

Money is not the only factor for rotten behaviour......alcohol consumption is another that comes to mind

Sorry!....

 

[penegal]

Interesting thread...

Having very recently witnessed some extreme arrogance I think the correlation between financial wealth and airline status is there, but not it is not necessarily that strong. Certainly some people are arrogant because they have one or both, but I have seen arrogance which isn't related. Simply some people are just not considerate of others, which is unfortunate, but a fact of life.


Some food for thought:
A prick will always be a prick
A good person can be a prick when in a bad mood

 

[penegal]

Sorry!....

+1

Sorry

I thought amaroo was talking about me, although I don't think we have met yet...

 

[penegal]

Actually I sometimes feel slightly sorry for arrogant people when they don't even realise their arrogance, crashing through the world with a Mrs Bucket like social blindness, leaving relief and sometimes laughter in their wake.

It's pronounced Bucket (Bouquet)

Money is not the only factor for rotten behaviour......alcohol consumption is another that comes to mind

Hmmm rotten maybe - debauched most likely

Alcohol is an interesting drug like that. I find it can send people either way.

Some are arrogant drunks and some are happy/easy going drunks.

 

[PineappleSkip]

It's pronounced Bucket (Bouquet)

If I was arrogant I wouldn't take kindly to such a bucketing (Bouqueting)

Cheers (he arrogantly sneered) Skip

 

[Warks]

This wonderful website never fails to make me laugh but also be horrified at the arrogance, rudeness and plain and simple "high functioning" insanity that's out there in customer world.

Funny & Stupid Customer Stories – Not Always Right


One thing I'd like to be more conscious of is raising kids not to be arrogant entitled little prats. As with all people with lounge membership we find access to the QP and others is a godsend when flying with kids. However the kids grow up thinking that this is normal and maybe they ARE better than others. We've raised them well enough at home not to be arrogant but you do wonder.
I guess when they are adults and flying by themselves they can learn of the real world and why such places should be appreciated as a privilege not a right. For that reason I would never pay for their membership!

 

[JohnK]

I don't have money and my status is not enough to get me anywhere....

 

[cove]

You could only start on that path if you had numbers in front of 2 commas on both your points and savings.
I saw you have a points plan JohnK so we need to talk the next time we do drinks in Sydney.
We won't do arrogance but our natural brilliance should be helped with a couple of drinks.

 

[JohnK]

Yes cove my plan is to get to that magical 1,000,000 QFF points which should hopefully be in another year. Then I can start spending them as I am worried what the future may hold....

 

[cove]

My 12 month 200,000 point capped credit card just rolled over so I have another point a dollar Visa card that I can use.
JohnK you will be getting offers from AFFers who want to be relatives of yours even if ancestry cannot seem to confirm the link!
I do like your plan of a magical number.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry cove but those points will help me travel the world once a year for the next 7-10 years. The plan is to travel to new places each time and spend a few days in the USA as well for cheap SCs.

There would need to be a damn good case put forward (with a possible bribe) if someone wants to be a relative!