Social Issues
ADVERTIsem*nT
Social norms act as unwritten rules of how we should behave. And it works well most of the time. It creates mutual respect and helps maintain polite interactions. Yet sometimes it can also cause trouble between strangers.
Redditor throwawya293_ opened up about an unpleasant situation on the bus after she didn’t follow such norms. Her son wasn’t feeling well, so she sat him down on the last empty seat. When an elderly lady entered the bus, the mother couldn’t force her feeble son to give it up. Unsurprisingly, people were not happy about it and they let her know.
In order to better understand the situation, Bored Panda has discussed the role empathy plays in social interactions with Dr. Michelle Lobchuk, a professor at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, at the University of Manitoba.
Social norms can help create mutual respect and encourage polite communication, but they can also cause some unpleasant situations
Image credits: Jun Huang (not the actual photo)
This woman had to take the heat from passengers on a bus after her son didn’t give up his seat for an elderly person
ADVERTIsem*nT
Image credits: Kiril Krsteski (not the actual photo)
ADVERTIsem*nT
Image credits: rüveyda(not the actual photo)
Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!
Follow Bored Panda on Google News!
//=__('About the author', 'boredpanda')?>
Miglė Miliūtė
Miglė Miliūtė
Writer, BoredPanda staff
A writer here at Bored Panda, I am a lover of good music, good food, and good company, which makes food-related topics and feel-good stories my favorite ones to cover. Passionate about traveling and concerts, I constantly seek occasions to visit places yet personally unexplored. I also enjoy spending free time outdoors, trying out different sports—even if I don’t look too graceful at it—or socializing over a cup of coffee.
Read more »
//=__('About the author', 'boredpanda')?>
Indrė Lukošiūtė
Follow
Indrė Lukošiūtė
Author, BoredPanda staff
I am a Visual editor at Bored Panda, I'm determined to find the most interesting and the best quality images for each post that I do. On my free time I like to unwind by doing some yoga, watching all kinds of movies/tv shows, playing video and board games or just simply hanging out with my cat
Read more »
Show All Contributors
You May Like
Indrė Lukošiūtė
Kotryna Br
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Popular on Bored Panda
Hey pandas, what do you think?
POST
Matt R Matt R Community Member Follow
There's some pretty heavy misogyny to suggest that one of the women sitting couldn't stand up for this elderly woman. The rule is to prioritize seating for the elderly and the less able bodied. So if an enable bodied woman sees an elderly person standing then they are the AH for not offering the seat and the people asking the young boy and hearing of his difficulties are the AH for not asking one those ladies. This is what equality means. Live in the world we should all be fighting to live in.
Vote comment up
68points
Vote comment down
reply
BlackestDawn BlackestDawn Community Member Follow
From what is told it sounds like it's much more ageism than misogyny, he was the youngest one so didn't deserve that seat. Don't get me wrong, both do play a part there.
Vote comment up
33points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Mi So Mi So Community Member Follow
And this is why I just loudly ask “is anyone able to give up a seat?” While gesturing to my cane, when on transit. You never know what someone else is dealing with; not all disabilities are visible. And ability can vary, day to day but even hour to hour in a single day. OP is NTA.
Vote comment up
55points
Vote comment down
reply
Becca Kuehn Becca Kuehn Community Member Follow
I completely agree. My disability, multiple sclerosis, is "invisible". Some days I can barely get out of bed because of the symptoms. Other days it's not as bad. I get dirty looks from some people when I get out of my truck that's parked in a handicapped parking spot.♿ Maybe some people believe that if you aren't using a wheelchair, you shouldn't park there. The funny thing is that there were 10 years that I was using a wheelchair. During those years I rarely parked in those spots.
Vote comment up
12points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Zophra Community Member Follow
Why didn't they just ask someone else? This is strange. Or if the conversation kept going on this long, I would like to think that someone else would have heard and given their seat.
Vote comment up
42points
Vote comment down
reply
BlackestDawn BlackestDawn Community Member Follow
Ageism in that believing that young people can't have any ailments, thus they don't deserve any seats if an older person is there.
Vote comment up
36points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
POST
Matt R Matt R Community Member Follow
There's some pretty heavy misogyny to suggest that one of the women sitting couldn't stand up for this elderly woman. The rule is to prioritize seating for the elderly and the less able bodied. So if an enable bodied woman sees an elderly person standing then they are the AH for not offering the seat and the people asking the young boy and hearing of his difficulties are the AH for not asking one those ladies. This is what equality means. Live in the world we should all be fighting to live in.
Vote comment up
68points
Vote comment down
reply
BlackestDawn BlackestDawn Community Member Follow
From what is told it sounds like it's much more ageism than misogyny, he was the youngest one so didn't deserve that seat. Don't get me wrong, both do play a part there.
Vote comment up
33points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Mi So Mi So Community Member Follow
And this is why I just loudly ask “is anyone able to give up a seat?” While gesturing to my cane, when on transit. You never know what someone else is dealing with; not all disabilities are visible. And ability can vary, day to day but even hour to hour in a single day. OP is NTA.
Vote comment up
55points
Vote comment down
reply
Becca Kuehn Becca Kuehn Community Member Follow
I completely agree. My disability, multiple sclerosis, is "invisible". Some days I can barely get out of bed because of the symptoms. Other days it's not as bad. I get dirty looks from some people when I get out of my truck that's parked in a handicapped parking spot.♿ Maybe some people believe that if you aren't using a wheelchair, you shouldn't park there. The funny thing is that there were 10 years that I was using a wheelchair. During those years I rarely parked in those spots.
Vote comment up
12points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Zophra Zophra Community Member Follow
Why didn't they just ask someone else? This is strange. Or if the conversation kept going on this long, I would like to think that someone else would have heard and given their seat.
Vote comment up
42points
Vote comment down
reply
BlackestDawn BlackestDawn Community Member Follow
Ageism in that believing that young people can't have any ailments, thus they don't deserve any seats if an older person is there.
Vote comment up
36points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
Popular on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Newsletter
Stay Tuned to Your Favorite Categories
More categories Subscription arrow right
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Also on Bored Panda
