Entitlement, another set-to

Am I not entitled to a happy life? a loving relationship? a good job? a nice home/car? the current electronic gizmo? whatever you have that I want? whatever I see on TV that strikes my fancy? lawsuit money for accidents caused by my own stupidity/recklessness? The list is endless. And it's spread to our government in the form of grants for company bailouts, special deals for congressmen, etc.

I'm concerned that the notion of entitlement is more widespread and inculcated into the human psyche than is healthy. I remembered a time a few years ago, when I discovered this issue alive and well in my own world. My "entitlement mindtalk" went something like this: "I am doing "good" in the world, therefore I should be rewarded by an easy life, a good relationship, and endless respect. All this should flow to me, so that I can continue to do "good" in the world."

How I discovered this unconscious demand was that life WASN'T easy, my relationship sucked, and I didn't even have my own respect. And I was mad about that. "After all I've done for you (God), the LEAST you could do is make it easy for me to serve you. (And of course, what would make it easy for me to serve You is if you give me what I think I have to have in order to do that)."

OK, that was embarrassing. And since entitlement has come up as an issue that I am hooked by again, I am guessing there is yet another layer of "somehow I am owed a good life." (I can never remember who it was that promised me such a thing, but I am sure it was someone "in the know.")