Question for CMs

[Christine43]

I'm taking a sociology course now so I've been paying even closer attention to how people interact which brings an interesting question to mind for you guys. I'm sure you all began to work for Disney for all the magic but having had to deal with so many jerks, likely daily, has your opinion of mankind changed? I'm assuming most of you probably still think the best of most people (or you wouldn't still be there) but it has to be tough sometimes. Just going to Walmart on a Saturday can sway people's image so I can guess how it is for you. So, what do you think? Has your opinion changed at all since working at Disney while you see the best and the worst of people?

[Doctor McKey]

I'm taking a sociology course now so I've been paying even closer attention to how people interact which brings an interesting question to mind for you guys. I'm sure you all began to work for Disney for all the magic but having had to deal with so many jerks, likely daily, has your opinion of mankind changed? I'm assuming most of you probably still think the best of most people (or you wouldn't still be there) but it has to be tough sometimes. Just going to Walmart on a Saturday can sway people's image so I can guess how it is for you. So, what do you think? Has your opinion changed at all since working at Disney while you see the best and the worst of people?

Well i can tell you thid... I am a lic. EMT, Firefighter and have always had a skued opinion of humanity... but my all time fav. thing to do is people watch at the parks...

I also love going to bars/clubs and watch others get hammered... thats the best free enterainment.....

[Christine43]

I'm curious about this because I'm wondering if I'm going into the right profession sometimes. I'm entering nursing school next year and sometimes, after having to deal with a jerk, I wonder why. I still like people, in general, particularly children but I'm guessing there are going to be a lot of days I feel like walking out.

[hobie16]

...have always had a skued opinion of humanity...

Does that mean you assign everyone bar codes?

[BRWombat]

I'm curious about this because I'm wondering if I'm going into the right profession sometimes. I'm entering nursing school next year and sometimes, after having to deal with a jerk, I wonder why. I still like people, in general, particularly children but I'm guessing there are going to be a lot of days I feel like walking out.

No doubt that's true... but it'd be a challenge to think of a profession where you don't deal with the idiots! (If you find one, let me know!)

If your impulse is for nursing, and you can handle the thought that all your hard work will make a difference and help people, sometimes without their assistance and often without their thanks, then go for it and God bless you.

[hobie16]

I'm curious about this because I'm wondering if I'm going into the right profession sometimes. I'm entering nursing school next year and sometimes, after having to deal with a jerk, I wonder why. I still like people, in general, particularly children but I'm guessing there are going to be a lot of days I feel like walking out.

You'll get jerks in any job and there will be days when nothing goes right. That's life.

Nursing is a great profession that can take you anywhere in the world. Years ago a friend's daughter wanted to be a nurse and saw an ad for the Navy. She sent in the post card thinking she'd just get a package of stuff back. A week later a full commander showed up at her high school to talk about their program. Full two year ride for the nursing school of her choice, commissioned as a Lt. JG, and she would owe them four years service.

She went for it and had a great time.

[DisneyMom]

Become a nurse, then specialize in your area of passion :)
Educate people with your medical background about autism (not like Dennis Leary, the latest loudmouth spouting off about autism when he has no experience living with it:mad :)
There will always be jerks out there,whether at the parks or not, SGT is the place to commiserate about them! :p:

[mechurchlady]

It is because for every jerk there is a reason the person is a jerk. I try to teach kids online how to handle problems. Education is key to preventing adult jerks. Also most people are not jerks. You see one jerk and then remember your grandparents, teachers, coworkers, church mates, mates, friends, and online people.

A jerk cut me off on the road but then they were nice to me at Subway and I love my mom. I drove home past the restaurant with a dozen nice people. I had eaten dinner at a burger stand full of nice people. How can one jerk ruin my day when so many nice people are out there.

I agree with DisneyMom that working with kids may be for you especially autistic and SID kids. I see the parks and public places different as I get older.

[felinefan]

I'm an ex-Knott's employee, and I can tell you, there's different kinds of jerks. Some that I ran into are jerks because they think they're being funny, and have had the misfortune to run across someone who sees this as a threat to their authority (I hated the kind that thought they were funny if they made a joke out of my spiel, the safety instructions, etc.), which makes them act up even more. Then there are the kind that think they are so dang important, that they can do anything they please in the park. Next are the kids who think it's a game or thrill to break the rules, talk back to the ride ops, or try to con their way into the rides they obviously are too old/tall/fat for. There are those who don't or can't or won't read signs that have the ride rules, height requirements, etc. on them, and then wonder why the rest of the people in line are laughing at them (Grandpa gets on Red Baron with grandkid, when it's children only), or why the RO is asking them to get off.

Another kind are the ones deliberately attack ROs, then end up getting arrested, or filing a complaint against the RO; I've had several of those happen to me, and I think I have all of them posted on here in various threads. Their motivation is to either try to get money by suing parks instead of getting a job, or they have mental issues. I could go on.

But all that has made me more cautious; most people I run into on the street are very nice. We are all human, we all make bad decisions. And some people, if you take them out of their usual area of living, their habitat, if you will, get confused, and in an attempt to try to get a fix on things, end up like SGs. Go to these amusement ride accident sites, and look at the accidents from people who decided to get off the ride because it was scary, or they didn't have the mental ability to understand that their actions were dangerous, etc.. People get overwhelmed and dazzled by their surroundings, and fail to use common sense or be careful, and they come off as SGs. Some people get over it, laugh at themselves, and are more careful. Others refuse to admit they could ever be wrong, don't see what's so funny, and decide that since it could never be their fault, it must be the CM/RO's fault.

Though remembering all this can leave a bad taste in one's mouth when dealing with the public, it can leave one better prepared in dealing with future incidents.

[Christine43]

Become a nurse, then specialize in your area of passion :)
Educate people with your medical background about autism (not like Dennis Leary, the latest loudmouth spouting off about autism when he has no experience living with it:mad :)
There will always be jerks out there,whether at the parks or not, SGT is the place to commiserate about them! :p:

Don't even get me going about Denis Leary. I am finishing up a letter to the pres. of Sony Pictures and of FX. I plan to go into pedi. oncology but continue to advocate for autism. I think I'm going to really love being a nurse especially if and when I get to work with children. It's great to have a site like this one but sad we need it. Thanks!