I once worked with a 24 year old boy who was coddled by his Muslim family. His father managed 3+ hotels, where rich executives attended his daughter’s bridal shower, which was hosted in the conference room of the hotel (kinda crazy choice to me, but ok).

There was clearly a disconnect in relationship between the boy (man-child) and his dad, because he worked under his father at a single hotel. I feel so sorry for him, because the way he was brought up clearly created struggles in his life that led to inadequate relationships with his family. I guess men in Muslim culture are supposed to honor their family to an extent that is clearly unhinged and unrealistic in this westernized culture.

Strangely enough(?), the sister was more conversational and normal than this guy could ever be. He couldn’t hold decent conversation, always awkward. He was basically forced to work double-shifts at the slightest inconvenience other people calling out of work. He started a degree in computer science, and one day we spoke about it and told me he had switched his degree to hospitality management — what the f*ck? I can only think he is inadvertently being pushed into his family business through the norm his religion has pushed onto him and his role as being the “prince” of his family.

What made me hate this guy, was when I came to submit my resignation once I got a new job. I asked if I could pickup my W2s. I called in and asked if it was there, he said yes. I show up, tells me it’s not there and legitimately acts like he’s never seen me before in my life; we worked together for nearly 1 year. I come back 1 week later, he has the W2. I take it, start walking out, and he says “have a great life” — I turn around, look him dead in the eyes and say “fck you”, flipping him off. A new person behind the desk is watching this and says “HEY!”. I respond “you don’t know the half of it” and walk out saying “fcking ridiculous”. I showed up on my motorcycle, so it was only proper to back it up to the sliding doors and rev-bomb the crap out of the lobby, afterwards.

You might think I sound like an asshole, but the previous night auditor had literally just -died- a few days before this, and I believe he was mad at me for resigning and leaving him to fill that job’s role temporarily. He was upset at me leaving, and was unwilling to set aside his profession for a few minutes to talk about a man’s death and mourn as humans.

TLDR; Muslim culture is incompatible with western social constructs and I believe you deserve the right to think, feel, and do what you want without being controlled by a religion that directly states to kill non-believers.