I know we're all familiar with the old adage: 'the customer is always right'. And we take it to heart. But it's not true, and the concept is a harmful one.
The attitude is based on the premise that when exchanging money for goods or a service, the person with the goods or service needs the person with the money more. Therefore, it's OK to be abusive to that person, and if they resist, or complain, or don't grovel enough, you can 'punish' them by not purchasing their goods or service. Or, if they work for a larger company, you can punish them by trying to have them disciplined, or fired.
Sometimes, of course, it's the other way round. When somebody wants to buy something more than somebody wants to sell it, the same rules apply in reverse. That's equally obnoxious.
At any given time, we'll all be paying for a good or service. And at other times, we might be at work and selling/performing a good or service. Most of us are in both categories at some point or other during the day. But when one finds oneself in the temporary position of mild 'power' over another who happens to be 'at work' while you are 'off work' and so 'not allowed' to resist abuse, the way you treat that person says an awful lot about you.
Often it happens because the abused is in the employee of a larger company, and so the 'customer' knows their victim is not allowed to resist. Sometimes, the abuser mistakes a tiny company (or even a sole proprietorship) for a larger one, and becomes immensely offended when the victim defends themselves against the abuse. How dare they, right? I'm the 'customer', I'm always right, and I can treat you in any way I wish. Well, until you get off shift and come into my place of work, then you can treat me any way you wish.
It's a pretty horrible dynamic. The world would be a better place without that phrase. It simply invites abuse, and sadly there are people out there who will take the repercussion-free opportunity to inflict abuse upon another human being, just because right now they can.
TL;DR: We all have jobs, bosses, customers, etc. Be nice to people who you believe are temporarily in your 'power'. Mainly because it's the right thing to do. But if you need a practical reason to do so, because at some point--unless you're a billionaire-- you'll be on the other end of it.
The attitude is based on the premise that when exchanging money for goods or a service, the person with the goods or service needs the person with the money more. Therefore, it's OK to be abusive to that person, and if they resist, or complain, or don't grovel enough, you can 'punish' them by not purchasing their goods or service. Or, if they work for a larger company, you can punish them by trying to have them disciplined, or fired.
Sometimes, of course, it's the other way round. When somebody wants to buy something more than somebody wants to sell it, the same rules apply in reverse. That's equally obnoxious.
At any given time, we'll all be paying for a good or service. And at other times, we might be at work and selling/performing a good or service. Most of us are in both categories at some point or other during the day. But when one finds oneself in the temporary position of mild 'power' over another who happens to be 'at work' while you are 'off work' and so 'not allowed' to resist abuse, the way you treat that person says an awful lot about you.
Often it happens because the abused is in the employee of a larger company, and so the 'customer' knows their victim is not allowed to resist. Sometimes, the abuser mistakes a tiny company (or even a sole proprietorship) for a larger one, and becomes immensely offended when the victim defends themselves against the abuse. How dare they, right? I'm the 'customer', I'm always right, and I can treat you in any way I wish. Well, until you get off shift and come into my place of work, then you can treat me any way you wish.
It's a pretty horrible dynamic. The world would be a better place without that phrase. It simply invites abuse, and sadly there are people out there who will take the repercussion-free opportunity to inflict abuse upon another human being, just because right now they can.
TL;DR: We all have jobs, bosses, customers, etc. Be nice to people who you believe are temporarily in your 'power'. Mainly because it's the right thing to do. But if you need a practical reason to do so, because at some point--unless you're a billionaire-- you'll be on the other end of it.
