I've been of the mind lately that there is a thin line between feeling entitled to something and expecting something.

For example, a guy sends a woman a message on a dating site. It's not a gross and presumptuous message, just an introduction and asking permission for more information about her in a return message.

He gets no reply. He is burned and complains about getting no reply. People say he's acting entitled to a reply. These guys are often referred to as "Nice Guys." "Nice Guys" are rejected because they are seen as just smoother manipulators. They're seen as feeling entitled to responses and interactions when in their minds they're merely expecting something in return because it was requested nicely. Is he though? Or was he just expecting a reply and was disappointed when a reply didn't happen?

Take the Uber driver who drops off a passenger at her building, and not only waits for her to get in but watches the windows to see which apartment is hers by waiting for the lights to come on. Is the dude expected to know exactly where she lives for safety purposes? Or is he being entitled?

The being entitled or expecting something line is also blurry when it comes to unrequited love. If you love someone and they don't love you back, and if you continue to have feelings for them — does that mean you're acting entitled to them?

At what point is an expectation some sort of unspoken demand?

What actually counts as feeling entitled to something?

If you wish for something hard enough, is that the same as acting entitled to it? If you work for years for something, get all the qualifications for it, take a test to master it, and STILL don't get it so you start working for it again, are you acting entitled to it?

If working towards something, waiting for something, asking for something, and hoping for something all mean one is acting entitled to something, then why should anyone have anything at all? Because to want something bad enough now comes off as someone acting entitled to something just because they want it.

Who came up with the concept of entitlement anyway? Was it once something good? Is it generally something else but socially something completely different? Is it a word made up by Feminists? Why is it that whenever someone wants something, others say their acting entitled to it?

I feel like this should be one of those words people should just stop using. It comes off as a word that is only thrown out there to purposely rile someone up. You can gaslight someone at the drop of a dime by saying they're acting entitled to something. There are other words one can use to describe how someone is acting other than saying they're acting entitled.

For the dating site guy who was burned by the lack of reply from a woman he messaged politely, I simply feel like he was acting disappointed because he was expecting a reply. For the Uber Driver who not only waits for their charge to get in and then waits to see that lights turn on, I feel like they're acting creepy. For the unrequited lover, I feel like they're acting hopeful.

Acting entitled shouldn't be a thing anymore.