I never remarked on the necessity of sales as a vocation. Of course it’s a vital part of business, that can’t be denied. But it still stands that the way sales are conducted in modern corporate America is inherently sleazy and deceptive, and career salesmen (especially in IT) tend to be smarmy suckup assbags who make their living by tricking people into spending too much money.

I’m sure the sales guy on the elevator probably meant no offense. He probably even thought he was being friendly, and never even fathomed how insulting his stereotyping was. It’s the equivalent of asking a black man if he plays basketball. I don’t care what he sells or how much money he makes or how much rejection he suffers, he’s still an asshole.