5 ms·

Claiming to "know" what another person is thinking is presumptuous and silly. This attitude is predicated on the idea that people working in retail or service

Claiming to "know" what another person is thinking is presumptuous and silly. This attitude is predicated on the idea that people working in retail or service jobs are doing so because they've failed to achieve some other thing, and must therefore be miserable. The truth is far more varied and complicated - for many young people, they're probably just doing it while they study, or actors waiting tables until the next role, and are picking up some great people skills in the process. Even if they're not studying towards something more academic, if they're good at what they do, they'll end picking up good skills, building a relationship with the owner, and taking over the business one day, starting a competing business, or getting recruited by a customer or supplier. Of course, some people probably really don't want to be at their retail or service job, but it's not like every programmer, doctor, or pilot loves every minute of their job either. I think the American custom of being nice to people working in service jobs is goes hand in hand with the prospect of social mobility. Retail and service workers are not from an inferior underclass destined to do that their whole lives - since they might end up owning the place or being your boss, or hiring your children one day, it's best to start building a cordial relationship today.

ACow_Adonis 10y ago
> I think the American custom of being nice to people working in service jobs is goes hand in hand with the prospect of social mobility Interesting...considering that my take on it has always been the complete opposite conclusion: that the expectation of exuberant happiness displayed by a serving/exploited underclass is a kind of a social indoctrination/opiate of the capitalist class in a country with high inequality and exploitation. It's harder to form a revolution, revolt, form an organised movement, etc if the only socially and employer-acceptable position is that everyone has to appear happy and that not doing so is grounds for your removal/dismissal...
jdietrich 10y ago
>I think the American custom of being nice to people working in service jobs is goes hand in hand with the prospect of social mobility. Unless social mobility is a reality, then that's just a cruel trick on the working class. "Temporarily embarrassed millionaires" and all that.
- WalterSear 10y ago
  Absolutely. The parent is painting an unrealistic, rosy picture of the service economy and its employees.
dredmorbius 10y ago
There's presuming to know, and there's observing interactions over time and coming to see a consistency in behavior. I've both worked at and of course used service industries. I've seen both sides of the counter, so to speak, and have seen different behaviors and attitudes from both staff and customers. I've had a server run out from behind the counter to give me a huge hug (her last day, we'd had a good rapport, and I'd left something for her earlier). Still remember that, some 20 years on. I've been kissed full on the lips by a bartender (quite unexpectely I might add). I've shared talk and jokes with clerks and owners at several grocery stores, and had ongoing interactions on that same basis. The responses seem genuine. Same sex and I quite presume no sexual anticipiation. Simply being human. Another store employee had commented on my unusual shopping bag (same store, other area), and over the course of two years, I carried a geographical nickname. Brought a smile to my face. I've also had surly or indifferent service, or noncommittal "fine, you, thanks" interactions. People are ... distinctly human. Sure, knowing precisely what's going on inside a person's head is difficult. But we're all sitting in our Plato's caves watching the shadows pass on the wall, and eventually we can make reasoned inferences. Particularly if the source of those shadows confirms the impressions. Being not overly wedded to a specific interpretation helps.

ACow_Adonis 10y ago

> I think the American custom of being nice to people working in service jobs is goes hand in hand with the prospect of social mobility Interesting...considering that my take on it has always been the complete opposite conclusion: that the expectation of exuberant happiness displayed by a serving/exploited underclass is a kind of a social indoctrination/opiate of the capitalist class in a country with high inequality and exploitation. It's harder to form a revolution, revolt, form an organised movement, etc if the only socially and employer-acceptable position is that everyone has to appear happy and that not doing so is grounds for your removal/dismissal...

jdietrich 10y ago

>I think the American custom of being nice to people working in service jobs is goes hand in hand with the prospect of social mobility. Unless social mobility is a reality, then that's just a cruel trick on the working class. "Temporarily embarrassed millionaires" and all that.

WalterSear 10y ago
Absolutely. The parent is painting an unrealistic, rosy picture of the service economy and its employees.

dredmorbius 10y ago

There's presuming to know, and there's observing interactions over time and coming to see a consistency in behavior. I've both worked at and of course used service industries. I've seen both sides of the counter, so to speak, and have seen different behaviors and attitudes from both staff and customers. I've had a server run out from behind the counter to give me a huge hug (her last day, we'd had a good rapport, and I'd left something for her earlier). Still remember that, some 20 years on. I've been kissed full on the lips by a bartender (quite unexpectely I might add). I've shared talk and jokes with clerks and owners at several grocery stores, and had ongoing interactions on that same basis. The responses seem genuine. Same sex and I quite presume no sexual anticipiation. Simply being human. Another store employee had commented on my unusual shopping bag (same store, other area), and over the course of two years, I carried a geographical nickname. Brought a smile to my face. I've also had surly or indifferent service, or noncommittal "fine, you, thanks" interactions. People are ... distinctly human. Sure, knowing precisely what's going on inside a person's head is difficult. But we're all sitting in our Plato's caves watching the shadows pass on the wall, and eventually we can make reasoned inferences. Particularly if the source of those shadows confirms the impressions. Being not overly wedded to a specific interpretation helps.