Service Staff Friendship

Earlier this semester in my sociology class, several students instigated a discussion where they argued that the college students were not friendly enough with the service staff. The service staff specifically refers to those who clean the college and serve and prepare the food in the dinning halls. Honestly, I am not surprised these individuals argued this. Their entire mentality points in the direction that they believe that love and friendship is an entitlement of every individual not something that is earned and selfishly given. 

The discussion began when someone pointed out that the majority of the service staff was black and/or of a lower socioeconomic bracket. Of course, this caused some to argue that the college students were racist and disliking of lower classes. Obviously this is ridiculous; just as ridiculous as assuming that service staff members and customers must be friends. I am not saying that these individuals should be rude to another another. Rudeness is just an indication of self-loathing behavior. One feels he must verbally attack another in order to establish his self worth through superiority. The individuals of these separate groups must be polite with one another, one group is making the other groups paid experience better, while the other group is paying the first group. However, both groups should not have to be friends with one another. If they want to be friends with one another that's fine, but the simple fact that one group is the service staff and the other group is the customers does not mean they have to be friends.

The core of this belief is a strange egalitarianism. It is not the egalitarianism that argues every man has the same natural rights. No. That egalitarianism is almost forgotten. This egalitarianism argues that everyone must be treated exactly the same at all times, meaning everyone must be friends with one another at all times. It is the assumption that love and friendships are entitlements based upon the mere fact that everyone is a human being and everyone exists. This only points to a deeper problem. Since one thinks he should give away his love and friendship freely because it is an entitlement, he believes everyone else should love him solely because he exists. It points to a degree of self-loathing. The individual does not believe he deserves love in the true sense, where another recognizes the values in him, practices the same values, and selfishly wants to be around him because their similarities make him enjoy life more. He believes what he is taught. He believes he is weak, insignificant, and usually evil. Furthermore, he believes everyone is like him. Therefore, true love and friendship are unattainable. Therefore, the only way to make him feel at least a little good is if he loves everyone simply because they exist, and elicits love from everyone simply because he exists. He feels good because he gives love and friendship to those he does not know well enough to give love and friendship to, such as the service staff. Then he elicits love from them, and they do not know him well enough to give him love and friendship. Everyone is weak, insignificant, usually evil, and wholly undeserving of love, but everyone gives and gets love regardless of any factors. It convinces them they have self worth because they have disregarded logical rules.

Personally, I like my relationship with the service staff to go as follows.

Service Staff Member: Good evening Sir, what can I get for you tonight?

Me: Good evening. May I have the steak.

Service Staff Member: (Places steak on plate) Here you are, Sir. (Paces plate to me)

Me: (I receive plate) Thank you.

Service Staff Member: Have yourself a good evening.

Me: You too.

See, simple, polite, professional, and not giving away friendship and love like it was free hard candies.