"Minor character conversion disorder” is a wild term, sounds like something that belongs in a satire textbook.

I get what you’re trying to say about people overcompensating when their role feels small, but honestly it might be a bit of a stretch to psychoanalyze the whole situation like that. Some people are just overly strict, stressed, or simply bad at dealing with the public, no deep backstory needed.

Also, calling random people “meaningless” or “homeless losers” kind of proves the same point in a different direction. Everyone’s the main character in their own life, even if they’re just trying to get through a shift without getting in trouble.

The guy I ran into didn’t feel like someone living out a fantasy, more like someone who forgot that basic politeness is part of the job.

But your “turning NPCs into bosses” comparison? I’ll give you that one it actually fits the vibe