You Can Tell How Entitled Someone Is By 10 Things They Care About Way Too Much
Dean Drobot | ShutterstockEntitled people can't cope with the unfairness of life because, to them, fairness is about comfort.
If they're not comfortable and if life isn't easy, or they're forced to own up to their own mistakes, there has to be something wrong with everyone else. They can't cope with the reality of life. They can't fathom having to inconvenience themselves for others. They don't care about anyone else, but you can tell how entitled they are by certain things they care about way too much.
When someone cares about these things way too much, you can tell they're truly entitled
1. Proving they're right
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Whether it's trying to win arguments with people or adopting an incredibly rigid idea of right and wrong, entitled people can't be wrong. They need to prove that they're right because showing off and being the smartest person in the room is a part of their fragile ego.
Their self-worth, like many others with grandiose image problems and narcissistic traits, is inherently flawed, so they must compensate by seeking validation and approval. For most, that means finding ways to be superior, even when it comes at the expense of good, productive conversation and healthy connection.
2. Other people's time and energy
Most entitled people think they live at the center of everyone's universe. They prefer to believe that when someone's not in their line of sight, they're simply waiting to be called upon or asked for a favor. However, in reality, that's obviously far from the case, which can cause a lot of tension and conflict in an entitled person's relationships.
They often treat people like objects because they're only interested in what someone else's time and energy can do for them, rather than opting to respect it.
3. Toxic delegation
The most entitled people in the world have an inflated sense of deservingness, meaning they believe their time and effort are more valuable than those of the average person. While causing someone to set boundaries and protect their peace can be healthy to some extent, for a selfish person it really only means they treat others poorly.
They delegate anything and everything they don't want to do to other people, including strangers. They litter at the park and assume someone else will clean up their mess. They weaponize incompetence in relationships. They pass off boring tasks to other people at work.
Instead of delegating to make everyone's lives easier and to protect themselves from burnout, they assign everything they don't want to do with their own comfort at the forefront.
4. Bad luck
Instead of taking accountability for their mistakes and the direction of their own lives, entitled people blame everyone and everything else when something goes wrong. Some even react with anger and blame "bad luck" when they don't get their way, instead of accepting that life isn't fair, like everyone else.
They sabotage their own autonomy and agency by blame-shifting. But as long as they feel comfortable and remove the discomfort of taking accountability, they don't mind.
5. Minor inconveniences
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Most people take on more stress and frustration around minor inconveniences than they realize, even in comparison to larger struggles and adversity. However, as a 2025 study explains, entitled people are even more likely to experience anger and injustice when minor inconveniences happen to them.
They believe that fairness in life is associated with their own ease and comfort. So, when it sometimes goes wrong, even if it's being skipped in line or getting a parking ticket, they take it personally at their own expense.
6. What they think they deserve
Rather than cultivating a strong work ethic and showing up consistently as proof for a reward, entitled people put a ton of stock into their potential. They think they inherently deserve more than others, and care way too much about getting rewards and attention without putting any kind of effort into anything.
In some cases, the most entitled people can end up with more success, because they push for the things they think they deserve in a confident way. However, most of the time, anyone with clear eyes and a sense of suspicion can tell they're acting on overconfidence instead of true security.
7. Prestige and status
According to a study from Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, many entitled and narcissistic people seek status and prestige all the time. They need to be the center of attention to feel important, even if they give off the most confident vibes on their own, and that validation usually comes from being cool.
They need to have the coolest stories, which usually means they're one-upping people. They need to know the coolest people and have the coolest connections, so they name-drop. They may even exaggerate stories and lie about accomplishments to have the coolest past, career, relationships, or interactions.
8. Control
Whether it's overstepping someone else's boundaries or expecting people to be available for them at all costs, entitled people want control. They're so insecure internally that they need to control everything and everyone around them for any kind of security.
Rather than trying to solve problems in the present moment or invest in things that actually serve their well-being, they leverage controlling behavior to make their life easier and more comfortable in the present moment.
9. Attention
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A study from Personality and Individual Differences found that narcissistic, entitled people often communicate in ways that draw attention to themselves. They're obsessed with being admired, looked at, talked about, and envied, even when it's not necessarily in positive ways. They need to be seen.
Whether it's online and through social media or through in-person conversations, they are constantly undermining trust and making people feel overlooked, so they can compensate for a fragile ego.
10. Keeping score
Most entitled people are inherently transactional. They refuse to do anything kind or compassionate unless they're getting something in return, whether that be positive social attention from others or a favor that they can use for blackmail later on when they need something.
Nothing comes from the kindness of their heart, because they care more about themselves and their comfort than anyone else's in their life.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
