Sometimes you're on the subway and you see someone standing who should probably have a seat (elderly, disabled, pregnant, etc.) but you can't offer them one because you're standing yourself. You know that there is someone sitting who'd happily give up their seat but hasn't noticed the person in need. However, there is no polite way to do this. It comes across as judgey or lecturing or otherwise none of your business.
We need some socially standardized signal for these situations. It is to be universally construed as neutral and nonjudgemental, and it shouldn't draw undue attention to the specific person in need (e.g. "HEY EVERYONE THERE'S AN OLD LADY WITH A CANE OVER THERE! SEE?") Just some sort of subtle "By the way..."
I don't have any specific ideas but I'm open to suggestions.
2 comments:
The only times I've done this, it was either totally clear the seated person engrossed in something else, and was then glad to have the need pointed out to them - jumped up, gallantly offered the seat and thanked me - OR was such a total asshole that I felt totally justified in being aggressive.
Something standardized would be nice, but I don't know how it would be disseminated.
I don't usually use total or totally three times in one sentence! Yeesh.
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