decency - courtesy - ?
i really don't understand people sometimes. this is not a reference to anyone that i know specifically, just people in general. i was walking to BART yesterday after teaching a taekwon do class and heard lots of honking as i approached an intersection. there stood a woman about three feet from the curb standing perfectly still looking somewhat panicked. the line of cars extending to the next intersection - the light was green. did i mention the woman in question was blind? she was disoriented and did not realize that she was blocking traffic and all of the honking didn't allow her to figure out where she was in reference to traffic
i could hear the cars about half a block before this whole scene came into view. no one, not a single soul helped her. there were people walking by, there were folks waiting for the bus... there were people who could actually see this woman with her cane standing there. in fact one complete asshat of a human being in a car inched toward her the longer she stood there.
instinctively i crossed into the intersection, asked if she would like my help and took her elbow and helped her across. i did this reflexively; i thought 'oh my god, someone is going to hit her.' this post is not designed to tout how wonderful i am for doing this, because I'm no better than anyone else - this is to express my dismay and chagrin that so many people watched this scene and did nothing. i understand that people 'don't want to get involved' or are too wrapped in themselves to notice their surroundings sometimes. i freely admit that this is can and does happen to me. i am likely just as self-absorbed, narcissistic, and unaware as anyone else on a daily basis. no one is perfect, i don't expect that. i don't expect passers-by to drag people from burning buildings risking life and limb. this was not a big deal.
however, there are simple matters that to my mind fall into the category of common decency or courtesy that i am baffled by when the issue or circumstance is ignored. i could see that there were people who were aware watching this happen. after i helped the woman across someone else stepped off the curb to yell at one of the drivers at the front of the queue.... where were you 35 seconds ago? why didn't you undertake the simple task of helping the woman to the curb? i tend to think that i set the bar of expectations for others pretty low, i am saddened when people manage to duck under it.
perhaps i retain too much optimism about the actions and intentions of others. i remain baffled.
i could hear the cars about half a block before this whole scene came into view. no one, not a single soul helped her. there were people walking by, there were folks waiting for the bus... there were people who could actually see this woman with her cane standing there. in fact one complete asshat of a human being in a car inched toward her the longer she stood there.
instinctively i crossed into the intersection, asked if she would like my help and took her elbow and helped her across. i did this reflexively; i thought 'oh my god, someone is going to hit her.' this post is not designed to tout how wonderful i am for doing this, because I'm no better than anyone else - this is to express my dismay and chagrin that so many people watched this scene and did nothing. i understand that people 'don't want to get involved' or are too wrapped in themselves to notice their surroundings sometimes. i freely admit that this is can and does happen to me. i am likely just as self-absorbed, narcissistic, and unaware as anyone else on a daily basis. no one is perfect, i don't expect that. i don't expect passers-by to drag people from burning buildings risking life and limb. this was not a big deal.
however, there are simple matters that to my mind fall into the category of common decency or courtesy that i am baffled by when the issue or circumstance is ignored. i could see that there were people who were aware watching this happen. after i helped the woman across someone else stepped off the curb to yell at one of the drivers at the front of the queue.... where were you 35 seconds ago? why didn't you undertake the simple task of helping the woman to the curb? i tend to think that i set the bar of expectations for others pretty low, i am saddened when people manage to duck under it.
perhaps i retain too much optimism about the actions and intentions of others. i remain baffled.