Though I've got my 5 entries, here's another one.
John's lecture last night prompted me to write this.
I was just on the MRT from Clementi to Eunos. Due to the fact that it's a public holiday, the train was packed. So I didn't get a seat until Bugis.
While seated, a couple of old ladies boarded the train, and one didn't get a seat. So I gave up my seat to the old lady, and resumed standing for the rest of the journey.
I admit that I wasn't being altruistic. Maybe there was no way to fake that I'm sleeping since the time was only a little past noon. Also I didn't want to endure the rest of the journey to Eunos station with the old lady standing right in front of me, reminding me that I'm supposed to let her have my seat. I guess I wasn't mean enough to wait longer for someone to alight and free up a seat for her.
So, yes, I gave up my seat, to reduce the cognitive dissonance. The dissonance between my behaviour and my cognition.
Behaviour: My butt still on the seat
Cognition: I'm supposed to give up seats for elderly folks.
What if she fell during the journey? That would have been on my conscience for a long time.
So, to reduce the cognitive dissonance, I changed my behaviour. And gave up the seat to her.
It's like Abraham Lincoln from John's story during lecture. He saved the piglets and I gave up the seat to get peace of mind.
3 comments:
so you give up the seat to balance the "MRT socity" or just for yourself to get a peace mind? which one is weighted more for you? maybe it is quite hard to answer, i guess these to things may happen together, if i were in the MRT, to get a peace mind will be my drive for me to give up my seat to that old lady. however, at the same time i will complain to myself how sad the socity is now, people are selfish, the contradiction is i m one of the society!
If you were ever reproached by an elderly for giving up seats to her/him, will you still dare to do it without thinking the next time? Can you overcome the fear or embarrassment of having other passengers laughing at you for doin such an act?
I admir your behavior that gave up the seat to the elder. Personally, this couldn't only because of the cognitive dissonance, but also because of respection of the elderly. More than it, we have Sympathy--the feeling characteristic of mankind.
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