I have to admit: Guilty on both counts.
But there's of course the other side. Where I went above and beyond to solve critical issues.
And while we're at it: You succinctly explained so much better what I mean than me in my long diatribe.
Thanks!
Why is it okay for an owner to try to squeeze every penny he can out of his employees but not okay for the employees to do it?
The real problem is that the company normally holds the leverage, so the employee has no recourse, no matter how "ethically" wrong the situation may be.
Not to mention a company without its employees is nothing.
So assuming everyone is working on good faith (neither side is cheating the other) your conscience should be more than clear when asking for more as in the example of rent. The risk is almost always on the side of the employee. For the company you're normally just a number.
The balance does shift depending on the company size, but I believe this logic still holds true.
An eye for an eye and all the world is eventually blind.
There's a story I was once told about how someone worked really late and then they came in late the next morning, but a VP happened to notice and they got in trouble despite having worked overtime.
I'm in favor of not being a "greedy jerk", but you have to do it for yourself. If you think you will be rewarded, that is delusional, and really just another type of greed.
I find that a little bit of grace goes a long way. Ask for a raise when you deserve it, absolutely. But if you ruthlessly try to extract every last penny from your employer, they will do the same to you.
Have you ever browsed HN at work? Have you ever left just a few minutes before 5?
I don't want my workplace to be a battleground over pennies. Treat your employer with some grace and they will do the same.
Unless, of course, your employer is already a greedy asshole. Then you should change employers.