Life imitates life

[muckefuck]

Yesterday, in the wake of the return of the dreaded Polar Vortex (best nickname so far: "The tEmpire Strikes Back"), I suspected getting a seat on the shuttle home might be a problem, so I walked up to the stop before mine. Within a couple minutes, I had at least a dozen people lined behind me. By the time the shuttle arrived, it was nearly twice that. I wish I could say everyone got on, but as we were driving off I heard a young woman cry, "Wait, he's going to leave them all there? That's so mean!" and saw about ten people still lined up outside.

Here's the thing though: This is the same woman who stopped halfway down the aisle when she got on so she could stay near the door. Chatting with her friend, she was completely oblivious to the pile up of people behind her until someone pointed it out. Once they did, she only moved a few steps closer to the back and continued to block people from moving back. When the bus left, there were empty seats on either side of her and standing room for at least a half dozen.

So I had to bite my tongue not to say anything rude. Clearly she hadn't meant to prevent anyone from enjoying the same warmth and comfort as her. When confronted with the disparity, she was openly dismayed. What she wasn't capable of doing, however, was making the link between her actions and their deprivation. After all, she wasn't the one driving the bus.

It struck me soon afterwards that this would be a useful metaphor the next time I'm trying to explain to someone how an action can be discriminatory in practice regardless of the intentions of the actor.

Comments

[kcatalyst.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a really good example story. I am a bit sorry no one yelled at her to sit down and/or move back more thoroughly. I always feel bad for the bus drivers, stuck between leaving people and having an all-out hissy fit at people who just won't make room, even when asked repeatedly.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I try to help them out when I can. But you ask, "Can y'all move back a little more?" a couple times and then you're in the same position--being any more forceful and people start to react like you're the asshole. (Which, come to think of it, also fits the metaphor really well.)

[kcatalyst.livejournal.com]

Don't it just, though.

[gopower.livejournal.com]

Brings back bad memories of the #6 bus to Hyde Park.
Somehow people in Chicago never learn how to ride a bus properly...