Office dynamics can sometimes be challenging, as individuals from different backgrounds and personalities are brought together to work towards a common goal. But what if you have preconceived notions or get annoyed if someone is privileged?
We wanted to know what you think. A Redditor asked Am I The A..hole, “AITA for telling my colleague he only has his job because his uncle is the CEO?”
Backstory:
The Original Poster (OP) is 20 years old female working at a major company. Even though the OP got the job through a scheme for disadvantaged young people, the interview process was complex.
When the OP isn’t with her team or working, she prefers hanging out with other women she met through the scheme.
What Happened Afterwards?
Recently, the nephew of the CEO started his role in the same department, and he tried to join the girls for lunches and be friends with them. According to the OP, “he tries VERY HARD to fit in and acts like he doesn’t come from a place of insane privilege. He will pretend to be humble and downplay his family’s wealth just to seem relatable, I guess. The others have been warming up to him, but I’m honestly not buying his fake personality.”
One day, the OP was sitting in the canteen with another coworker, and he asked to join us. OP’s coworker agreed immediately, even though she didn’t want to agree. He asked OP many personal questions about her journey to the company. The OP said the interview process was hard and mentally draining.
He went on to say that getting into the place was tough, but his interview was fine, adding that he was late to one of them because he was hungover.
This made the OP mad, and she said, “good for you.” He thanked the OP and said things will work out when you “chill out” and stop taking things so seriously. At this point, the OP said that she knows he is not nearly as competent as he believes and that he only got the job because his uncle is the CEO.
OP’s coworker looked at her like she was crazy. He shrugged and said it didn’t look like she liked him. The OP told him that it wasn’t personal, so likes and dislikes are irrelevant.
While they did not argue, things did got heated up. It ended with him asking the OP what she wanted him to do and adding that while she may view him as an overprivileged a..hole, she isn’t any different (which, according to the OP, made no sense).
Read Sister Made Homemade Food For Everyone Except Her Brother’s Stepdaughter. We Think She Is Justified.
OP expected him to report to HR, but he didn’t. Instead, the OP says, “He started following me on my social media accounts and messaging me at work more frequently.“
What Others Thought?
The coworker who was sitting with the OP spread the news amongst others, and everything thought she was in the wrong.
In OP’s words, “They said that not only was I unnecessarily hostile and rude, they’re also mad he started hanging out with them less. (Not sure if this is a coincidence, but I’ve also been spending less time with them). Am I wrong for giving my unprompted opinions?“
Was OP right to say that to him? Was it inappropriate for him to say things like chill out? How would you have reacted in this situation?
This article originally appeared here.