There's an old saying that tells us, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Its exact origin is unknown, but an early version of the phrase appeared in print in English in 1546.

The words refer to the art of determining the age of horses by inspecting their mouth, which, even though it's a tricky task, can be done to a considerable degree of accuracy.

So it's a poetic way of reminding us to be grateful for our presents. But the subreddit 'Choosing Beggars' can also illustrate this basic act of human decency. And it does that by showcasing everyone who can't — or, for some reason, won't — express gratitude.

So join us as we explore the depths of this online community in search of entitled people complaining about free stuff. Believe me, simply witnessing their ridiculous behavior should be enough to once and for all remember the importance of a plain "thank you." Even if we don't mean it, at least it helps us to avoid looking like entitled brats.

#1 Choosing Beggars Are Expecting More From Free Movie Showings

Image credits: 4chargers

#2 I Was Giving Away A Free Dishwasher On Craigslist And Caught One In The Wild!

Image credits: nashjoe

The sense of entitlement is strong with these folks. They clearly believe that the world owes them without giving anything in return.

Entitled people have a tendency to adopt goals based around their own self-image, often leading them into conflict with others.

While they may be able to put up an exterior of being nice and well-mannered on the outside, research shows that it's all just for show; deep down inside this is usually not how they truly feel about themselves or other individuals around them.

#3 Yes Gary. I Will Pay You $25 To Pick Up An Item I’m Giving You That You Want For Free

Image credits: starksnarksharks

#4 Asking For A Free Mobile Phone, And Then Rejecting An Offer

Image credits: muppetmat13

#5 Restaurant Gives Out Free Candy Canes, People Are Mad They Aren’t Organic

Image credits: crazyb****gang

One study even suggests that entitlement can be dangerous. In 2018, researchers from Case Western Reserve University found that entitled people are more likely to experience chronic disappointment, unmet expectations, and a self-reinforcing cycle of behavior which puts them at risk for harm psychologically or socially.

Think of it like this: when someone thinks of themselves as superior, anything that challenges their worldview is met with defensiveness and anger. This creates a vicious cycle: the more they are challenged by society's limitations, the angrier they become at these "injustices."

#6 Woman Begs For Free Baby Clothes Because She "Can't Afford" To Dress Her Child. Turns Down Multiple People Because They're Offering Boys Clothes Instead Of Girls

Image credits: aerialpoler

#7 Free Food And Supplies For Students And Families? That’s Not Good Enough For These Two

Image credits: defend74

#8 Free Government Funded Food Package Isn’t Up To Their Standard

Image credits: kjohnston2503

However, social psychologist Jane Adams highlighted that every now and then we mistake entitlement for a sense of self-confidence projected by competent, assured, often charismatic others.

And sometimes, a bit of a fleeting, situational rush of entitlement might even be a good thing. "It can increase creativity and lead to novel, unusual solutions to problems, the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that organizations and employers encourage," Adams pointed out in Psychology Today.

#9 When Free Just Isn't Enough

Image credits: smell_my_mule

#10 I'm Practising Web Development So I Was Offering To Make Websites For Free. This Dude Didn't Thank Me But Atleast Gave Me A Good Laugh

Image credits: rayjaywolf

#11 It's Free Pool

Image credits: madammayorislove

#12 My Mom Has A Little Free Library In Her Yard. Someone Left Her This Note The Other Day With A Crossed Out Smiley Face

Image credits: freezethawcycle

"Pejoratively labeling an individual or a generation as entitled sometimes reveals more about us than it does about them," Adams continued. "Our unwillingness to recognize another's meritorious worth or hard-earned success, which indicates how often we think with our beliefs rather than about them."

The social psychologist said that a good example of this is how Hillary Clinton was viewed as entitled when she ran for political office, but not when she was actually in it.

#13 I Was Giving Away A Free Sofa And Had This Funny Encounter

Image credits: NegativeReply3211

#14 Anon Doesn’t Want To Drive A Free Bmw Or Tesla To His Wedding

Image credits: weezy_latez

#15 No More Free Lunch? Let's Boycott

Image credits: FooPvris

Researchers at Harvard and Cornell who studied 99 undergraduates and 98 MBA candidates found that entitled people don't follow instructions, because they see them as unfair.

"They would rather take a loss themselves than agree to something unfair," said the authors, who correlated high scores on entitlement measurements with difficulty complying with the 'rules' of the experimental task. Attempting to understand why students ignored them (selfishness, control, or punishment), they found that fairness was the primary reason.

#16 Giving Your Church A One Star Review For Giving You A Free Turkey

Image credits: nickfone

#17 Woman Freaks Out Over Being Offered A Free Android Phone (Original Got Deleted By Accident)

Image credits: reddit.com

#18 This Guy Wanted Me To Drive 3 Hours To Give Him A Free Game

Image credits: spiriteh87

Entitled people want to be different from others. But just as frequently they come across as indifferent to others. That's why they often provoke such negative responses in those they encounter, especially those they don't personally know.

If you suspect that you might also be acting like a spoiled brat sometimes, there are things you can do to overcome it:

Recognize the feeling of entitlement. Refuse to let it impact your life. If you have a hard time recognizing the feeling, think about other times when you felt entitled and then notice how much that feeling resembles what you're feeling now.
Understand that you are not entitled to anything. Unfortunately, the world does not owe you anything. Life is unfair and it's your job to make the best of what you get in life, not to complain about what you deserve but don't have.

#19 It's Free, John

Image credits: MrTase

#20 Some Kind Soul Was Giving Away Free Food And This Jerk Decided It Was Not Good Enough

Image credits: BPD-is-ruining-me

#21 Schools Closed For 2 Weeks, Local Pizza Shop Offers Free Food For Kids...

Image credits: Chocobochica

Find ways to help others without expecting anything in return. How can you serve others without expecting anything in return? Simple: volunteer your time. If you want something in return for your services, consider that what you're getting is "happiness" from knowing that you have helped those less fortunate than yourself.
Learn the difference between needs and wants. People with a sense of entitlement have a problem distinguishing between needs and wants. This makes it very difficult to make healthy, sound decisions since you constantly want more than you need. Instead, focus on what you truly need in life and cut out what you simply want.

#22 A Hamster Cage, That's Free....just Wow

Image credits: NibbatoPrime

#23 You're Not Giving Away Enough Free Stuff

Image credits: DirtRich419

#24 My Friend Recently Graduated University As An Aesthetician And Was Giving Away Free Makeup Products. Cb Wanted A Better Brand And For Her To Deliver, Then Got Mad When She Wouldn't Do Either

Image credits: town_klown

Focus on what's in your control rather than what isn't. You can only control your own thoughts, feelings, actions, and responses. Stop focusing on what other people are doing or how they are responding to situations. Instead, focus on changing the things that you have some influence over in your life.
Practice gratitude for everything good in your life, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at the time. Consider everything you have in your life right now: a home, family or friends, good health, etc. Take a moment to be grateful for everything that you have and realize that there are a lot of people out there who would love to trade places with you.

#25 Giving Away With Free Delivery

Image credits: logangrey123

#26 How Dare They Uphold Company Policies And Not Give Me Free Stuff?! They Will Destroy This Business!

Image credits: Skye_hai_bai

#27 Reverse Choosing Beggar: Offers Free Readings & Then Goes Off When Asked

Image credits: NuckingFutsWinx

Think about how your sense of entitlement is affecting other people in your life. How have other people been affected by your sense of entitlement? Have you unintentionally made them feel guilty or resentful because they didn't live up to your expectations? If so, remember that other people have their own lives to live and their own feelings. A person's actions toward you aren't necessarily directly tied to how much you mean to them.
Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself because nobody else will do it for you. It might seem counterintuitive, but one way out of self-entitlement is to be kinder to yourself. When you are feeling entitled, it can be difficult or impossible for you to take care of your own needs. Instead, you might fall into a place of self-neglect because you are expecting others to take care of you.

Following these steps might not entirely cure your sense of entitlement, but they should reduce it to a point where you won't be complaining to people who want to give you free gifts.

#28 Wanting A Free TV Delivered

Image credits: Latino_guy

#29 Starting Early This Year With Those People Who Want Free Plants And Are Also Completely Insane

Image credits: Grommulox

#30 Getting Upset That The Free Game You're Offered Isn't The Free Game You Wanted

Image credits: shadesofwolves

#31 I Want A Free Flight On My Schedule. Make It Happen

Image credits: marqattack

#32 Your Free Wood Is Too Big!

Image credits: ExSalvation

#33 Youtuber Spends Over 300 Hours In A Map And People Harassed Him Into Giving It For Free

Image credits: XsisterfisterOwOX

#34 Choosing Beggar Angry About Being Kicked Out Of Cafe With Free WiFi For Bringing In Food From A Different Restaurant

Image credits: OffTheWall343

#35 Popular Supermarket Creates A Scheme That Will Help Children From Deprived Backgrounds Learn To Cook A Meal They'll Enjoy, For Free. Apparently That's Not Good Enough For Some People?

Image credits: prklrawr

#36 Please Drive Over An Hour To Deliver This Free Thing To Me So I Don’t Have To Buy It For $10

Image credits: NegativePaint

#37 Free Is Not Enough To Help Those In Need

Image credits: BlindLifePilot

#38 Cb Asks My So To Take Apart A Futon, Strap It To The Top Of Her Car, And Deliver It. For Free

Image credits: SsethT

#39 Huh.. Guess Not Giving Away Free Books Makes Me A Prick

Image credits: 66agWHY

#40 This Lady Demands The Neutering Of Two Free Puppies, Then Freaks Out And Claims That The Poster Doesn’t Know Anything About “Dog Breads”

Image credits: sirsquid

#41 Entitled Girl Asks For Free Food, Decides She Needs Delivery As Well

Image credits: haltingblueeyes

#42 My Local Chick Fil A Is Giving Out Free Sandwiches For A Week...

Image credits: emleth

#43 Mario Kart On iOS/Android Has Come Out Today For Free And This Is One Of The Reviews

Image credits: SusanBoyleDid911

#44 Starbucks Is Offering Free Coffee To Veterans And Active Duty Military Members And Their Spouses. I Can’t Tell If The Girlfriend Comment Or The Person Asking For More Variety Is Worse

Image credits: makingwaves12

#45 I Guess Free Games In Times Lots Of People Don't Even Have Jobs Is Not Enough