Thursday, August 23, 2007
Spoiled children
Life has taught me that when spoiled children become adults they don't always make the best partners. At times, they may even become psychotic when they realize they are losing, or have lost, the status of only child, most beautiful, or youngest child.
If you haven't experienced it for yourself perhaps you can imagine life in a country where almost everyone is an only child. Perhaps this helps to explain why cyclists beep the horns of their electric bicycles to urge pedestrians out of their way when they choose to ride on a footpath even though there is a dedicated bicycle lane.
In queues, for some, there appears to be only one rule: I have a right to be first. Similarly, on buses it's: I have a right to a seat. One day I boarded a bus that was so crowded it was several stops before I could move inside off the front steps. When I got in I was astonished to see that a child, probably no older than five, was occupying a seat beside her mother while frail elderly were standing. I guess I was also astonished that no one said anything. I certainly would have if only I could speak the language.
But surely not everyone here is totally selfish. I'm certain someone would stand up for a 90-year-old pregnant cripple.
If you haven't experienced it for yourself perhaps you can imagine life in a country where almost everyone is an only child. Perhaps this helps to explain why cyclists beep the horns of their electric bicycles to urge pedestrians out of their way when they choose to ride on a footpath even though there is a dedicated bicycle lane.
In queues, for some, there appears to be only one rule: I have a right to be first. Similarly, on buses it's: I have a right to a seat. One day I boarded a bus that was so crowded it was several stops before I could move inside off the front steps. When I got in I was astonished to see that a child, probably no older than five, was occupying a seat beside her mother while frail elderly were standing. I guess I was also astonished that no one said anything. I certainly would have if only I could speak the language.
But surely not everyone here is totally selfish. I'm certain someone would stand up for a 90-year-old pregnant cripple.
