# per capita, which professions have the most assholes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605 "2014-04-08T01:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/21 "2014-04-08T09:55:38Z")
Good grief, where did you ever work where physical abuse was okay? (Though verbal and emotional is a given.) It’s hard for me to squeak this out, but…engineers? How many have known so little but liked it a lot? As a populous, they’re usually dicks. But, extrodinarily, they can be the most faithful. They really care, they just don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/22 "2014-04-08T10:42:35Z")
**Surgeons**. World Class status, most of them. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/23 "2014-04-08T10:57:05Z")
My gf is a lawyer, so I end up interacting with lawyers a lot and…wow, that profession really does seem to attract an above average number of needlessly aggressive headcases. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/24 "2014-04-08T11:21:20Z")
One of the management consulting firms I worked for (you can put management consultants on your list as well) worked mostly with law firms. Most of the lawyers were giant assholes, particularly as the more junior associate levels where they think they are hot shit, but are actually nothing since they aren’t partners yet. > [@Becky2844](#): > > It’s hard for me to squeak this out, but…engineers? How many have known so little but liked it a lot? As a populous, they’re usually dicks. > > But, extrodinarily, they can be the most faithful. They really care, they just don’t know why. People think engineers are dicks because they always have to say “no” (usually for good reason…it’s called the laws of physics). Engineers think everyone else is a dick because they are too stupid to listen to the person who actually knows what they are talking about. I’m going to say “computer programmers” are up there as well. With their constant condescending sense of superiority towards anyone who doesn’t dress like a 15 year old and spend their formative years holed up in a room writing code day and night. No matter what job they work on, they act as if they are creating the next freakin Google. Bunch of pretentious nerds. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/25 "2014-04-08T12:06:28Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > People think engineers are dicks because they always have to say “no” (usually for good reason…it’s called the laws of physics). Engineers think everyone else is a dick because they are too stupid to listen to the person who actually knows what they are talking about. > I’m going to say “computer programmers” are up there as well. With their constant condescending sense of superiority towards anyone who doesn’t dress like a 15 year old and spend their formative years holed up in a room writing code day and night. No matter what job they work on, they act as if they are creating the next freakin Google. Bunch of pretentious nerds. I bet they say “no” to you a lot as well. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/26 "2014-04-08T12:40:35Z")
A nurse recently told me that one of her instructors in school told them to never marry a cardiologist. I asked why, because of their ego? She said no, because they are all ugly. So, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/27 "2014-04-08T12:45:51Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Prison guards? Only in the movies. In reality they tend to be regular people who want to get through the day with the least amount of problems. Those that cause problems in the jail don’t last too long because they make everyone’s job difficult. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > **Surgeons**. World Class status, most of them. > mmm > [@kayaker](#): > > A nurse recently told me that one of her instructors in school told them to never marry a cardiologist. I asked why, because of their ego? She said no, because they are all ugly. So, anyway. My girlfriend works very closely with doctors in the pharmaceutical field. She never had a problem until she started working in cardiology. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/28 "2014-04-08T12:46:42Z")
Which profession has the most scope to be a right bastard without reprisal? Prison guards, and Psychiatrists/PsychNurses have power over social pariahs who do not have the freedom to go elsewhere. Re: Surgeons, their ego might be huge, but it is at least partially justiied by their measurably high talent and ability… ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/29 "2014-04-08T14:00:53Z")
Politicians. Evangelists. Human resource workers. ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/30 "2014-04-08T14:11:33Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > I bet they say “no” to you a lot as well. Man, that was cold. You must be a programmer! Agree with STEM people to some extent. When I was a kid, we were nerds and it wasn’t cool. We are now cool and smart at the same time. Some people interpret the arrogance that goes along with being smarter about some particular thing as asshole. Fair enough. Realize, though, that (particularly outside STEM “cultures”) we are held back by people afraid that we will take their jobs because we are smarter. Usually the excuse is lack of experience, which we believe can be made up for by intelligence, in many cases. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/31 "2014-04-08T14:39:36Z")
I don’t think there are many fields that are immune. Philosophy professors, lawyers, high-ranking executives in most fields…etc. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/32 "2014-04-08T14:45:38Z")
Stand-up comedy ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/33 "2014-04-08T14:53:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Philosophy professors… Wow, that’s pretty specific. How did your feelings get hurt? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/34 "2014-04-08T15:04:39Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > Not IME, and in Brazil every other woman is a beautician if you include hair and nails in the definition, so I knew a lot when I lived there. > > In fact, it might possibly be the profession with the sweetest people? They just want to make people feel good about themselves, make people walk out looking nice. They know their job isn’t high status so they don’t have a huge ego. They listen to people’s problems while they work. The ones I knew genuinely cared. I’ve dealt with a lot of different make-up and hair people professionally and this conforms with my experience. I can’t think of a single one that struck me as an asshole. They tend to be empathetic, positive, and kind. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/35 "2014-04-08T15:06:54Z")
> [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](#): > > Wow, that’s pretty specific. How did your feelings get hurt? They happen to be the academics I know best. As I said, I am sure there are plenty in every field. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/36 "2014-04-08T15:09:41Z")
Hard to narrow down, I’m going to have to go with “humanity”. Not “the humanities”. Just humanity. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/37 "2014-04-08T15:30:07Z")
> [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](#): > > Wow, that’s pretty specific. How did your feelings get hurt? Philosophy professors have a very bad reputation for being jerks and assholes. This is all too typical: [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-12/news/ct-northwestern-sex-lawsuit-met-20140212\_1\_northwestern-student-northwestern-professor-university-officials](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-12/news/ct-northwestern-sex-lawsuit-met-20140212_1_northwestern-student-northwestern-professor-university-officials) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/38 "2014-04-08T15:31:46Z")
This is going to get me in trouble, but many if not most of the most bullying, authoritarian, condescending people I’ve ever known have been teachers. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/39 "2014-04-08T15:39:32Z")
The military. Every O6 (colonel, navy captain) and above I’ve ever met was pretty cool, and I assume that’s what it takes to get up there. But there’s a lot of people who’ll never rise that high whose consolation prize is getting to treat subordinates like it’s _Conquest of the Planet of the Apes_. Of course, an infinitesimal proportion of military people enjoy killing. But still, there is a higher percentage William Calleys, [Steven Dale Greens](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/19/us-usa-iraq-soldier-suicide-idUSBREA1I03V20140219), and [Robert Bales](http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/23/us-usa-afghanistan-trial-idUSBRE97L0YV20130823) drawn to the service than, say, sadistic crossing guards who lead the kiddies into the paths of dump trucks. And we’ve had the debate “if the average man could get away with rape, would he?” Again, rapists are a small percentage of the men in uniform, but it’s still a rotten place to send your daughters. ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605/40 "2014-04-08T15:42:57Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > Philosophy professors have a very bad reputation for being jerks and assholes. This is all too typical: > > [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-12/news/ct-northwestern-sex-lawsuit-met-20140212\_1\_northwestern-student-northwestern-professor-university-officials](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-12/news/ct-northwestern-sex-lawsuit-met-20140212_1_northwestern-student-northwestern-professor-university-officials) Um, you are, what do we say, “over-generalizing”. I could find a crime committed by any type of person, that doesn’t imply all of those types of people are assholes. I had been in universities for years and Philosophy professors were, by far, nowhere near the most assholest of instructors. That would have to go, not to computer science, not to engineering, but mathematics. But then again, I’ve met several mathematicians that I enjoyed their company. Also English professors tended to be a PITA, and far worse than Philosophy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-capita-which-professions-have-the-most-assholes/685605.md?page=3)