Does anyone else notice how life is?

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:10:58 +0200

Laughter yoga is where it's at. All stand in a circle, holding hands, look each other in the eye and start laughing.

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:00:19 +0200

Thanks all for your comments. I was thinking about what you've all been saying about people and general human behaviour and you are all right - people are more standoffish when they don't know you. However, this is particularly acute in certain parts of the UK where people are outright hostile, and in others, people are so friendly you almost can't believe you are dealing with strangers. Nevertheless, its doesn't matter whether you are in the friendliest or the nastiest parts of the UK, road rage is omnipresent and directed at the most defenceless people.

A couple of months ago in Manchester, I saw a policeman drag an elderly asian woman out of her car and threaten to smack her as she'd moved over into the lane of his police car in stationary traffic, as she was confused. She was really old and very scared. He threatened to arrest anyone who tried to stop him! Bad news.....

I have also noticed a pattern in the types of vehicle used by people who have committed road rage that I've witnessed or had directed at me. There appears to be 'types' of people who commit road rage, and they tend to be attracted to 'types' of cars. Weird! Has anyone else noticed this....

As for the feral pregnant woman, she was certainly pregnant unfortunately, otherwise that would have been an effective insult. She was skinny, except for this huge belly all out at the front. She looked like she was either carrying twins or was seriously overdue! I feel sorry for the child really, having a mother like that. Imagine it telling her it has wet the bed or something.....

I did feel like giving her a mouthful, but there was a off duty police person on the train (I could tell by the black buttons stitched on the shirt lapels) and I thought it was up to them to say something really. If I'd have told her to f off, he probably would have arrested me....

Sadly, that's the world we are living in. You can't even tell some evil thug to stop smashing up your car, or you are classed as a vigilante....

I truly believe that some form of guerilla social commentary a la banksy might well challenge some of this. People quite often need the escapism that a seemingly meaningless positive image or word can bring, that can be enough to snap them out of whatever rage they are in and start laughing. I've seen miserable london commuters laughing at a sticker on a lamp post when you thought their world had ended 10 seconds before. Its totally amazing really.

What do you all think...an advertising campaign for happiness?! Could be very effective.

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:20:55 +0200

I agree to all the above comments!!

Now not wanting to sound as though i am standing up for the feral lady in question!! But are you sure she was pregnant!! As believe me nothing would make a bad day worse if you had indicated that she was pregnant and she wasn't, should I say it's not good!! (personal experience called on here)

I still think she was out of order and you are obviously better mannered than myself as I would have given her a mouthful back!! Which I suppose makes me just as bad as her!!!
What do you think?

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:21:28 +0200

I think your experience is not typical. Most people when meeting another person face-to-face are non-confrontational but reserved, which may be taken for unfriendly / hostile but is in fact a natural reaction to strangers.

The woman in question may have had lots of problems and you were the unfortunate lightning rod!

However, hostility and agression are common on the roads where people are insulated and isolated in metal boxes and somehow loose the ability to relate inconsistency or errors on the part of others to the actions of another human being, but instead seem to imagine they are dealing with an anodyne creature called a 'driver'.

Anyway, your blogs are interesting. Keep posting. x

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:03:05 +0200

To collar and trintrin, thank you for your comments. I do sometimes think the world is a bit mad - or people are made mad by heat, public transport, debt and an inferiority complex as well. However, I do think there needs to be some sort of enlightening event or series of events. Banksy talks about a story of a man called George Davies on his website and how is friends put up messages around the UK to get him out of a wrongful conviction for armed robbery. Perhaps a similar campaign with words like 'love everyone' and 'don't be so angry' might do the same thing - almost like advertising.

As for the hormones thing, I also think you are right collar, they do make a difference and people should be able to talk about that without fear of being called a sexist etc. I agree, she was probably hormonal and also a total feral. I thought to myself at the time, I wonder if the man who impregnanted her is still alive, or if she ate him like a black widow spider!

Please tell your friends about this blog - the more widely the social ill is discussed, the cure is in the talking about it I think.

Have a lovely day :)

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:39:26 +0200

Your right i have noticed this too, n i don't think thing will get better any time soon! :) x

In response to:Does anyone else notice these things?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:18:03 +0200

I don't know if I can enlighten you… but if there is a tide of "unpleasantness" to put it euphemistically…I'd say it got that way by small steps.. so most of us… Nelson Mandella-types excluded - will only turn that tide by small steps.

I also think the media distort and paint a disproportionate picture.. god I hope so!

Maybe the pregnant woman's hormones were all over the place? But I know it was shocking your kindness was met with that response. I'm no expert and according to stereotype, how dare a bloke mention hormones. :) But well done, anyway...(even if for you it seemed the 'normal' thing to do, it would for me)

And don't forget there were probably people looking on who were inspired by what happened despite its immediate outcome.

BTW: You made me smile! :)

PS: Welcome to this blogland