Where Have All The Bellboys Gone?

Our hotel/resort in Mexico is ridiculously nice.  Every single person who works here says hello and helps you no matter what kind of problem you have.  No one would conceive of saying "that is not my department" or even "try the guy over there, he can help you."  Ever employee of this hotel takes ownership of our comfort and satisfaction.

I hate to bring this sentiment down but we just don't have that in the US anymore.  Everyone, even customer service reps and concierges demand respect rather than earning it.  I think the perfect system is always treat everyone with respect but to expect to earn your respect from others.  But many Americans don't use this system anymore, they walk around in a bubble of rights.  Rights to be served, treated a certain way, right to be first or most.  Some rights though, are not born with you like your hair color or first name.  They are earned.  Like muscular abs.

Either way, I am enjoying a break from American me-ism.  Or maybe it's just that this is how the rich people live.  That I haven't earned the right to know, not yet anyway.

Exacting standards
In serving clients...it's so
Unamerican.

Sense of Entitlement

Americans are know abroad for demanding things. All kinds of things, in fact. For example, loudly doubting that you were given the right change when you don't even know the value of any local coins is not so much shrewd traveling as it is being an a-hole.

A friend and I spent a day in England making fun of how Americans did this (by playing obnoxious American with each other) and it was quite liberating. I think acknowledging that bias and consciously expelling it was a personal improvement, until the other day when I had to wait in line at the school IT desk behind some first year students. Doesn't a mature student get to go to the front of the line?!? Stinkin' new folks.

Entitlement haiku:

Entitlement means
I get things I didn't earn
Or else I complain.