help me understand this please

[Bidin~Time]

I made a rare trip to Wal Mart this weekend. It was tax free weekend plus the first of the month so the store was busy. The greeter was asking to see receipts as people left the store. I, personally, don't have an issue with this as it takes all of 30 seconds. But, one man threw an absolute fit, verbally abusing the greeter and threatening legal action. He made such an ass of himself I was embarrassed for him and moreso his poor wife who looked mortified.

I was, and still am, puzzled by this reaction. Any ideas as to why anyone would react this way?

 

[gotsnowgotslush]

wow That was some over-reaction, on his part. What kind of legal action was he threatening them with ?

 

[MNGuy]

I made a rare trip to Wal Mart this weekend. It was tax free weekend plus the first of the month so the store was busy. The greeter was asking to see receipts as people left the store. I, personally, don't have an issue with this as it takes all of 30 seconds. But, one man threw an absolute fit, verbally abusing the greeter and threatening legal action. He made such an ass of himself I was embarrassed for him and moreso his poor wife who looked mortified.

I was, and still am, puzzled by this reaction. Any ideas as to why anyone would react this way?

Just some ideas:

When I worked retail, the people who shoplifted, and were caught, created big scenes hoping you would just let them go.

Some people mistakenly believe that Walmart check receipts with merchandise purchased violates their Fourth Amendment rights, and those people tend to be uninformed pompous jackasses.

Or he is a jackass all the time.

 

[Antoninus]

What MNGuy describes.

Political scientist Francis Fukuyama borrows the classical notion of thymos to postulate a fundamental driving force of history, which is the need for recognition among one's peers. The Walmart gentleman probably felt the loss of his personal sovereignty and slighted by the implication of thievery.

 

[Bidin~Time]

I kinda figured if he wasn't guilty of stealing that day, he was guilty of stealing some other time and he was paranoid.

That he was an ass was glaringly apparent and I suspect it's his normal state of being.

 

[Bidin~Time]

What MNGuy describes.

Political scientist Francis Fukuyama borrows the classical notion of thymos to postulate a fundamental driving force of history, which is the need for recognition among one's peers. The Walmart gentleman probably felt the loss of his personal sovereignty and slighted by the implication of thievery.

It's effing WalMart. He shoulda looked for his personal sovereignty someplace appropriate where it would mean something, such as his home.

 

[gotsnowgotslush]

I was guessing that being honest and trustworthy was something that he was very proud of. His feeling were hurt, and he got angry.
Maybe, he was resentful that he spent lots of money and time in that store, and no one knows or trusts him, after all this time.
(And, maybe, he drank too much coffee or cocktails that day. Or, his medications are doing something that they should not. )

 

[Antoninus]

It's effing WalMart. He shoulda looked for his personal sovereignty someplace appropriate where it would mean something, such as his home.

He might have been overcompensating. Call it looking for personal sovereignty in all the wrong places.

 

[Boxlicker101]

He may have thought he was being profiled.

 

[Bidin~Time]

I was guessing that being honest and trustworthy was something that he was very proud of. His feeling were hurt, and he got angry.
Maybe, he was resentful that he spent lots of money and time in that store, and no one knows or trusts him, after all this time.
(And, maybe, he drank too much coffee or cocktails that day. Or, his medications are doing something that they should not. )

He might have been overcompensating. Call it looking for personal sovereignty in all the wrong places.

He may have thought he was being profiled.

Or maybe he's serial jackass.

I know I'm being a borderline jerk about this, but I just can't think of a single instance where his behavior was acceptable on any level.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Or maybe he's serial jackass.

I know I'm being a borderline jerk about this, but I just can't think of a single instance where his behavior was acceptable on any level.

It's not acceptable, regardless of his reason.

 

[warrior queen]

How odd that you would have such a reaction to what a complete stranger was doing!
Honestly, did you care that much about the scene he was creating?
Me, I would have just ignored it all. It happens here with some regularity at several stores, but I just wait my turn, be as nice as possible to the doorperson, and get on with it.
Like you said, it takes all of 30 seconds and it's easy to be nice.

 

[eyer]

Consider yourself now schooled on the subject by no ordinary human, Bidin~Time...

 

[parodyluvr75]

I'm guessing jerk or in a bad mood because his wife drug to Walmart to go shopping.