4 ways being an asshole affects your finances

No matter where you live, no matter what you do for a living, no matter how much money you may or may not have, there is one person we have all met. You don’t always know that he is coming and often, he’s in disguise. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he shows up, ready to reveal himself.  And the reveal usually takes place in unexpected situations. Because that’s a typical characteristic of…

The asshole.

We’ve all, at one point or another, met a giant asshole. He might be at work, he might be in your family, he might be the customer in line behind you at the grocery store. But we’ve all met him. He’s rude, arrogant, obnoxious, condescending, and, worst of all, kind of dumb. Sadly, he doesn’t know these things and falsely assumes that there’s something wrong with everyone else because there’s no possible way it can be him.

The asshole also thinks that he is the most important person in the room/building/store/world, which makes his sense of entitlement that much stronger. This belief leads him to act in atrocious ways towards everyone he deems beneath him (which, in his mind, is everyone) and how someone like this can look at his own reflection in a mirror and go to bed with a clear conscience just boggles my mind.

But I guess it is not for me to understand the inner psychological workings of an asshole. It is just for me to deal with.

However, contrary to the asshole’s primary belief system, acting in that manner is not the best way to get things done (sorry, any assholes reading this. It’s true). Since this is a personal finance site, let’s focus for a minute on the many ways in which being an asshole can actually hurt a person financially:

Promotions at work.

Many assholes are very productive at work. The desire to outdo everyone and prove that he is the greatest worker around is very strong. And that kind of work ethic is great! Who doesn’t want to work with someone who is superproductive and great at finishing his work on time (or early!)? When I was in an office, I certainly did. Unfortunately, the asshole makes the working environment so unpleasant that when it comes time for promotions, his reputation may precede him, leaving him left out in the cold when a higher paying position becomes available. Because while everyone is willing to tolerate a mid-level asshole worker, no one wants him in charge.

Dealing with customer service.

Things get screwed up. It happens. A bill is wrong, a product is defective, a meal is too cold or contains a vile ingredient that we distinctly asked NOT to be in the food. In all of these instances, you are going to need someone else’s assistance. In all of these instances, it behooves you to be nice. By being nice when a mistake has been made, I have received money off bills, free food, new products…all good things, right? But I have witnessed people being assholes in all of these instances and it has never, ever worked in their favor. Sure, they might bully the people into giving them something but it’s never as much as if they had been nice in the first place.

Getting help from friends and family.  

Who among us hasn’t, at one time or another, needed the help of friends or family on a project? Whether it’s moving, painting a room, babysitting, or just general assistance, we’ve all called on friends or family for a little help. We do so because asking for that kind of help is cheaper than hiring a professional. In fact, many finance experts advocate bartering services with friends and family for just that reason. But no one wants to help an asshole (unless, of course, the asshole is also a bully. In which case, the asshole will probably just bully you into helping him, making you think he’s an even bigger asshole).  So he is left to either pay someone or do it himself. That can get expensive.

Creating friendships.

No one wants to be friends with an asshole. They are horrible to be around, mainly because you have to listen to their narcissistic rantings, holier than thou attitude and general disdain for everyone and everything they feels is beneath them. An asshole is negative, annoying, and full of general unpleasantness. In short, if an asshole is at a party, it’s because the host takes pity on him. Actually, now that I think about it, most assholes don’t have any friends because no one wants them around. So, they develop expensive, ridiculous habits that eat away at money that probably should be saved for a rainy day. Or the day they actually get a friend. Because the only thing worse than an asshole is a broke asshole.

Most of us have our asshole moments. I know I do. It’s hard to be perfect all the time. But for those who are assholes all the time, it has more than just a negative effect on your personal life. It affects your financial life, too.

Just something to think about.