From the scenario below, what can you deduce about this situation/me:

Ive joined a local gym where the owners are friends of family members. So we know each other. However, the staff i dont know. In the beginning, the staff were fairly friendly, I got along with them and all.

However, recently, they arent so friendly anymore.

Ive had a habit of deadlifting and not putting my weights back. Recently, one of the staff told me to put them back (not so friendly way) and I did , in my own time. Nevertheless, the next time, the same staff was on shift and I purposely left the weights on the bar, looking to see his reaction and mainly because phuck him. he sends me a pic on watsapp and says I will be banned next time i do so. I leave him on ignore/read.

Anyways, from here on, I feel the staff arent so friendly anymore although I still am. Today however, whilst i was walking out the other staff told me that i had left my water bottle on the bench in the changing room. I decided (in my own time) to go back and trash it.

Anyways, I came back later asking if I could get a discount on an item as I didn't need the whole thing. Inititally this same staff would allow it and give me a discounted price however, he did not this time and I basically pulled him up on having a problem with me. Nevertheless, the argument ended.

Here I am, thinking why I escalated these things for no apparent reason. I genuinely have a problem but cant really put my finger on what exactly.

Negging for not putting weights back

No, you aren't still friendly. You leave the weights out, which is a dikk move (and you do it intentionally). They probably care much more about whether you make their job harder rather than whether you smile at them. If I was them, I might even think you're fukking with me if you're clearly ignoring gym etiquette and making my job harder but still trying to friendly.

How hard is it to put the plates back after your 155 lb deadlift attempt?

If that last paragraph is you being aware of what I said, I think what spurs you to this behavior is some combination of insecurity/defensiveness and selfishness/lack of empathy.

This all falls in line with misc's machismo attitude where you have to be supremely alpha all the time and if others benefit from your actions at all, you've been cucked.

Hold a door for a woman? Absolute beta.

Put your weights back (even though you'd want others to do so)? How cucked can you be? Obviously voted for Biden

Brah, you got to put your weights back.

Don't be those fuktard zoomers who leave their 10lb weights when they do those side ass plankers.

Always put the **** away.

I show them respect the same way they show me. I am in their vicinity.

I hear this. My issue probably boils down to defensiveness/having to prove something to myself.

I have a complex where i feel i need to come out on top in nearly everything i do and personally i think that comes from childhood trauma. I was never good enough for my dad and got bullied early on.