The "just a Grab driver" outraged guy on Stomp

[rinsider]

https://www.stomp.sg/trending-now/just-grab-driver-parent-slams-teacher-making-insulting-remark-about-their-job-says-theyre-multiple

The issue has since been resolved, but the father took to social media to air his unhappiness that his son’s teacher referred to him as “just a Grab driver”.

The befuddling thing was that he expressed indignation at the belittling of his “profession” which he claims to do so “occasionally” before adding that he already owns multiple businesses.

If he truly felt he and his son were shamed, then this makes it sound as though he himself felt he needed to prove his worth/status beyond being “just a Grab driver”.

So what kind of mixed signal is he sending to his son? “Daddy is outraged as the teacher could have expressed it better, therefore daddy had to redeem himself against this remark… I’m not just a Grab driver…”

I think in the process, this protective parent ended up degrading Grab drivers himself. You mean it’s “just a Grab driver” shouldn’t apply since you’re a business owner?

Is he standing up for all drivers or just himself?

I could be overly critical of this parent, but what do you think?

In any case, I’m not siding the teacher either if she really did say that in a condescending manner. But we have no idea of the context, and why he or his son felt embarrassed or distressed.

Or maybe we all shouldn’t read too much into the word “just”.

[thebottomsupblog]

@rinsider said:

So what kind of mixed signal is he sending to his son? “Daddy is outraged as the teacher could have expressed it better, therefore daddy had to redeem himself against this remark… I’m not just a Grab driver…”

Under any circumstances, for someone to make a remark like “they’re just an XYZ,” it doesn’t reflect well on them.

And if we’re on the receiving end of that statement, I guess defensiveness is one of the natural responses.

Eg stay-home/wfh/freelancer moms may be triggered if someone says they’re “just staying home,” or implies that they’re not productive, or even just “bumming around.” (Tbh, even friends/very decent people have made those kinds of statements to me before, and I could be just as guilty of saying something that reveals my own bias.)

The response might then be to try and qualify one’s value.

So… in that sense, I don’t really blame the dad for sending those mixed signals. One could also say, “Yes, this is what I do, and I like it/am proud of my work.” But I suspect we’re all a little more complicated than that!