Other people are not entitled to your time; nor are you entitled to theirs. If someone purchases your time, then they’re entitled because you gave your voluntary consent to provide some of your time for that purpose. This applies to customers, if you’re self-employed, or bosses, if you’re employed by another. But nobody is entitled to your time “just because.” Need or want does not, by itself, impose a duty. A failure to understand this point is the number one problem among human beings to date. I’d wager a guess it’s the root cause of all war and crime; and the root cause of most mental or behavioral disturbance. For example:
“I’m depressed.”
“Why?”
“Because nobody loves me.”
“That’s depressing, if true. What’s the evidence that nobody loves you?”
“When I feel down there’s nobody who wants to be there for me.”
This is not a productive or rational way to think! It amounts to thinking: “Because I want something in life, I should have it. If I don’t have it, then I’m unloved or unwanted.”
A lot of this stems from supernaturalism. Supernaturalism refers to the idea that some higher power is, or should be, caring for you and taking care of your life for you. If this is true, then it follows that anyone not having things go the way they want is unloved.
“I’m angry.”
“Why are you angry?”
“Because things aren’t going as I want.”
“Were they supposed to?”
“Well…yes.”
“Who did the supposing? Who was supposed to get it all right for you?”
It’s as if there’s some unnamed source that’s supposed to be handling everything for you — and if that unnamed source doesn’t do his job, it’s proof of the futility of life. Supernaturalists have a Name for this source, but there are plenty of agnostics and atheists who feel the same way.
It all goes back to ownership of, and sovereignty over, your own life. You either accept this premise, or you don’t. If you don’t, life will be much harder and unhappier for you than it ever needed to be.