No, not imagination. In general staff (this includes CC, btw) behaving much better than they used to, or maybe I just stopped giving a crap when one acts like a jerk...
As I said, behaviour as I described is not down to imagination, it was pure bad behaviour. I wouldn't poke *anyone* in a service position, let alone someone who is supposed to be my colleague.
If someone (staff or pax) is being difficult I just tell myself they must have a crap life off the plane so take it out on everyone else when they travel. (they like having 'servants' to boss around I guess) I do the required for them and spend my extra attention on the ones who act like decent human beings (i.e. the other 98%)
of course you get the bad apples in any place (airport, on board, on the phone, etc) but majority seem to do fine. Out of all the times I've travelled I've had issues maybe once or twice, one of those was a new staff in the check in who wasn't aware of a procedure. I nicely informed them of the policy, asked him to check, staff came back, apologised and rectified the issue, I thanked him, no problems or attitude on either side.
Seems perhaps Jack is just unlucky or...
(FYI yes staff should be treated just like any other pax... that also means there shouldn't be any over the top special treatment either, like getting items from other cabins, saving rows of seats or such. Yes we want to look after our colleagues but it shouldn't be at the expense of full fare pax or causing resentment from pax to staff because of perceived 'special treatment')