May I rant? I take the bus

[serryjw]

everywhere. I don't have a car and live in D/T Denver. On the way home from work I got up and gave my seat to a middle age woman, very over weight who was using oxygen. Then she gave HER seat to a blind woman! Not one woman or man of any age got up to give her THEIR seat! She stood for 6 stops holding her oxygen while everyone stayed seated....Am I crazy? Is there common decency any more?

[MissB]

1. Rant away

It was very nice of you to give up your seat. Actually, it wasn't nice - it was just what one would expect (common decency and all that).

Sometimes it is helpful to do a verbal reminder of politeness. Maybe (if you felt comfy doing it) speak up next time - point out that this woman is on oxygen and perhaps someone could give up their seat.

Some people seem to be in their own little world when they ride the bus, kwim?

[mike_c]

2. I agree-- I'd have picked some young buck and pointedly asked...

...him to relinquish his seat. "Excuse me, she needs to sit down. Do you mind?"

[politicat]

3. Thank you... It's nice to know there are decent people left on RTD!

In the past, I have given pointed looks to others and made comments WRT such incidents; IME, most people are just oblivious, not actively indecent.

We live too much in our own heads, and fail to see our places in the larger society.

[serryjw]

4. I don't mean to make this political but

this woman was right in front of them. How do expect these same people to care about 1600 kids dead 10,000 miles away?

[politicat]

6. okay.... what's happening is that most people insulate when they're in

the public sphere. They switch to a mode of behavior that sees other people as objects to be avoided, like trees and potholes. It's self-preservation when one lives in a crowd because it is literally impossible for everyone to care about everyone. Humans evolved to deal with up to about 200 people; once a person has an interaction with more than 200, the rest just get dropped off the radar.

As to how to get people to really care.... I don't know. We do, obviously. Everyone has some group or person who are at a distance and not immediate whom they care for. But helping people make the cognitive leaps to empathize with others on a regular basis? If I knew, I'd be up for execution, because Pharisees can't handle that kind of message.

[Floogeldy]

5. Selfish bastards

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[caledesi]

7. Uh, no.

It totally amazes me almost every day how insensitive people are. They are all out for themselves. Thank you *.

I have MS and I would give up my seat in a NY second for these people.

Should I be disparaged for that? Long ago, the answer would be NO.

make me sick :puke: