One place on the internet that collects astonishing examples of customers being some of the biggest jerks in the world is the humongous ‘Trashy’ subreddit which has more than 1.6 million members. This is how the community describes itself on Reddit: “Trashy stories, trashy glamour, all things fake, plastic, and downright trashy, low-class, no-class, white trash, bimbos, and damn proud.”

Bored Panda reached out to the ‘Trashy’ subreddit and talked to one of its moderators, Siouxsie_siouxv2.

“I was not around when this sub was created but I am certain it was born from the same IRC social circle that created r/drama,” one of the community moderators said. “This particular group is vicious, but often very funny, and that would be our mission statement here now that I think about it.”

When asked why some customers behave like incredibly rude jerks, the subreddit moderator had this to say: “Some people want the best value for their money. And that includes total deference and subservience.”

“Also, we feel emotional sometimes about the small things that bring us comfort in a chaotic world. To have that disrupted can feel outrageously unfair. Sure, I could get a chicken sandwich somewhere else, but I need Popeye's to pay for the damage done to my chicken sandwich lifestyle.”

“People often mistakenly believe our sub is the place to post news articles about horrible crimes or governments oppressing people. We really wish people would stop posting that stuff here. It's depressing and not really what we are about,” the moderator explained what their community isn’t about.

If jerk customers are getting you all riled up, here are several modern Stoic tips to manage your anger, courtesy of philosopher Massimo Pigliucci who wrote a fantastic essay about the subject on Aeon:

• Engage in preemptive meditation: think about what situations trigger your anger, and decide ahead of time how to deal with them.
• Check anger as soon as you feel its symptoms. Don’t wait, or it will get out of control.
• Associate with serene people, as much as possible; avoid irritable or angry ones. Moods are infective.
• Play a musical instrument, or purposefully engage in whatever activity relaxes your mind. A relaxed mind does not get angry.
• Seek environments with pleasing, not irritating, colors. Manipulating external circumstances actually has an effect on our moods.
• Don’t engage in discussions when you are tired, you will be more prone to irritation, which can then escalate into anger.
• Don’t start discussions when you are thirsty or hungry, for the same reason.
• Deploy self-deprecating humor, our main weapon against the unpredictability of the Universe, and the predictable nastiness of some of our fellow human beings.
• Practice cognitive distancing – what Seneca calls ‘delaying’ your response – by going for a walk, or retire to the bathroom, anything that will allow you a breather from a tense situation.
• Change your body to change your mind: deliberately slow down your steps, lower the tone of your voice, impose on your body the demeanor of a calm person.

What’s more, Mind Tools explains that it’s important to distinguish between rude customers and unhappy ones. It’s far easier to deal with the latter. Mind Tools suggests you stay calm and don’t be provoked by rude customers’ words; you should also avoid taking things personally, but you should stand your ground when you want to get a particular message across. And if worse comes to worst, there’s always the ‘Trashy’ subreddit where you can get sympathy from strangers online.