People who pretend to be self employed or own/run thier own business

Is it normal this really pisses me off?

"I'm self employed"
"I run my own business"
"I work for myself"

Let me just say this: if you report to a job, receive a paycheck, have a boss, work as an independent sales representative, or worse are involved in multilevel marketing or online networking scams - you're NOT a self employed business owner!

It seems like everyone these days (especially over the past 5 years) claims they run their own business in some way shape or form. How many people purchase an "Inc" online, make a business card, start a website, then hang up their boots and claim they are self employed? I've lost count.

That is not running your own business. When you have a name, place of business, work full time, and have a book of clients who continuously issue checks payable to your name/businesses name and you're fully supported by generating your own income without having to work for someone else full time OR part time; then you can claim your self employed and run your own business. Until then your not.

So why do so many people today pretend to be self employed or own a business when they only thing they own is a business card, a website, a toolbox or a name on a piece of paper? Don't these people realize they are lying to others and themselves?