A photo speaks a thousand words…
This is what annoys me in my city. To me this behaviour is so ugly: this woman hogging the seats! And I managed this photo through an opening as beside both corners of the frames of this shot, there were indeed people standing, just so coindentally that i got some ‘clear space’ to capture this ugly sight!) So, what do you think about it? Kiasuism or Selfishness? (Read about ‘kiasu‘ << here)
50 Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st February theme, “What really annoys you in your city”, please use the links to below to visit them.
Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.
Porto (Portugal) - Stayton, OR (USA) - Albuquerque, NM (USA) - Tenerife (Spain) - Greenville, SC (USA) - Dubai (U.A.E.) – Evry (France) - Jakarta (Indonesia) - London (UK) - Sequim, WA (USA) - Buenos Aires, (Argentina) - Seattle, WA (USA) - Minneapolis, MN (USA) - Stavanger (Norway) - Joplin , MO (USA) - Nelson, New Zealand - Milano, Italy - Singapore (KeropokMan) - La Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala) - Nottingham UK - Singapore by Zannnie (Singapore) - Budapest (Hungary) - Not Strictly Seattle - Bandung (Indonesia) - Vantaa (Finland) - Hyde (UK) - Madrid by Dsole (Spain) - Oulu (Finland) - Saarbr?cken (Germany) - St. Paul [Carol] - Sydney (Australia) - Tokyo (Japan) - Kyoto (Japan) - Trujillo (Peru) - Shanghai (China) - Rotterdam (NL) - Chicago, IL (USA) - Nice, (France) – Naples, Florida (USA) - Hong Kong - Santa Clara, CA (USA) - Quito, Ecuador (South America) - Cottage Grove, MN (USA) - Paris, (France) - Manila (Philippines) - Brussels (Belgium) - Auckland (New Zealand) - Newcastle upon Tyne(England) - Sydney by Nathalie (Australia) - Houston, TX (USA)
Are you referring to the lady who put her bag on the seat beside her? Well, in my opinion, it is okay to do that if the train is not crowded. But if she does that while there’re people standing, then that’s totally rude! I hate to see people doing that when I am looking for a seat, hehe.
This is a very interesting post and posses an interesting question. In the US culture I see all that you describe except for the fear of not succeeding. In fact it is often said that to truly succeed you can not be afraid to fail. For example, US movies almost always have the hero fail then pick themselves up and go on to succeed … Very interesting link to Zsolt’s “me and my crazy mind” blog.
When I first saw the picture I thought you were annoyed about the lady not giving space for others to sit and I agree totally with Fay about that.
Reading the piece about kiasu though makes me think you are annoyed that the lady is hogging her possessions rather than travelling lightly like the other passengers. But everyone looks so sad and tired, whether encumbered by bags or not.
Fits the theme perfectly, and the emotion on the faces are priceless. Very nice, like it alot.
K.
She just doesn’t care, does she? Worse than that is when people put their feet up on seats, too.
We most certainly have people with a kiasu attitude here in the US though there is no one word for it in English that I can think of. Its a kind of greed for fear of not having as much or more than others or selfishness like the lady in your photo. Though she does look awfully sad and tired.
I see this in Switzerland as well. Now that I can manage a couple of words of German, if the bus or train is full, I always go up and ask them if the seat with the stuff is taken. So far no one has denied me a seat. The weirdest experience so far was a guy on the bus who was sitting in an aisle seat, and instead of moving over to the window, he got out (with about 10 people standing around in the aisle) and made me wriggle in. He did make eye contact and say goodbye when he left, so that made it okay.
When i first saw this i thought how elegant the young lady was and tired looking after a day at work perhaps. Then your writing alerted me and of course you are right. How very selfish. Why could that bag not be at her feet? She looks like she doesn’t care.
I dont know how to say Kaisu…
AND when i see this photo, all of a sudden, i am wondering…zannnie is in shanghai???
its very normal to see this kind of things on the subways/buses here when the transport is not crowded.
But, most people will take the bags off when people get on and leave the seats for others to seat.
And very interesting thoughts about the selfishness…maybe she just felt tired after long time shopping??
anyway, if the subway is very empty, i may put my heavy bags on the seats….if someone wants to seat, i will take it away. thats ok…..my attitude.
The way you’ve captured the facial expressions is marvellous.
As far as hogging 2 seats is concerned I would have asked her for the seat if I were standing. I’m surprised no one didn’t but then maybe you don’t do that in Singapore.
Angela
stomp it zannnie. stomp it.
sigh. its very common isn’t it. even if she is tired, the bags can go on the floor. shame on her!
Ah, my second trip to Singapore today, and a similar theme of inconsideration and hogging space by placing something in a seat. Of course she would move the stuff if someone indicated they wished to sit there, but she doesn’t pro actively think of those standing and make a place for anyone unless they ask. Or, she could be tired and in her own thoughts and just not be aware that she’s inconveniencing anyone. Hard to judge people’s motives. This is a wonderful photograph. Good capture!
-Kim
Great picture, I just love it!
While I’m here I thought I’d let you know that I have moved my
site on to Wordpad, unfortunately that means it’s time to
update those links again…….sorry
South
Shields Daily Photo
Zannnie, a really fine photo, and a unique and fascinating annoyance. Yes, in Sydney this sort of thing happens. Our trains are configured so people sit in rows behind each other, like a bus, and on one side the seats take 3. People get in and sit in the AISLE seat, forcing 2 others’ toclamber over them – and i think that is selfish (being perfect, of course when i get in first I move to the window seat, but beign not-so-perfect, I admit if i am SECVOND on, and the window is taken, i sit on the aisle side. THAT i put down to the Anglo-like loathing of touchign other people, and personal space! I usually will scoot into the middle when the 3rd person comes along tho, thius restoring my Perfection Status!
))
When I used public transportation in New York City it used to upset me! Especially when women with small babies were trying to hang on and balance the baby at the same time! Also when elderly folks were on board. I am not sure what I think the reason is!
Funnily enough, I live in Singapore but grew up in Newcastle and only stumbled across this site through a link from Chris Harrison’s excellent Newcastle upon Tyne Daily Photo.
This picture is a common site on the MRTs in Singapore, but my particular favourite ‘kiasu-ism’ is when everyone on the bus sits in the aisle seat to make it difficult for people to sit next to them, knowing that most people are too shy to ask to sit next to them.
Thinking about it, a scene like that would probably make quite a aesthetically pleasing photo…
This is nothing! I’m sorry, I hoped you showed something that actually proves something. Can’t people just say: Excuse me, may I sit? I’m sure she would put the bag away. How do you know what was on her mind? Maybe something terrible happened to her, maybe the people who stood, wanted to stand. So? You can’t just judge a situation on what you see, cuz things are not always black and white.