Common Sense / 当たり前なこと

02-25-09

Wow, it's been for a while since I wrote something last time... I've been lagging, and somehow I just didn't feel like doing anything lately... I don't think I'm depressed but maybe I am... who knows...

Anyway, I found this sign at the metro station I always use in the morning at Hollywood & Western. I thought "Let exit others before you board the train" is such a big common sense already even before you mention on a sign like this. Maybe I think that way because I grew up in Japan and used train all the time. We already have the common sense naturally. But I'd always surprised when those people who don't let others go in who wants to exit. Or they put their legs up on the extra seat in front of them even though there are so many other people standing. I feel like some of American are selfish.　Well, I shouldn't say that though... Los Angeles is such a huge multi-cultural melting pot. I am pretty sure each of people got some common sense of their own culture. But before they mix those different cultures well together, I guess some of those common sense don't make sense to others. Then those selfishness comes in... Mmm.. I know it's not that easy to say but that's how I see it...

When you try to consider others, those "common sense" will naturally come in to you. And I need to work on that part sometimes also. People are not perfect, and neither am I. I would like to grow more even though I am already an adult. :)

Additon: Don't get me wrong. I've seen many other people who are nice too. Especially a lot of Hispanic guys try to give their seats to women, no matter if she is young or old. And to older/ill/pregnant people too. I thought that's nice. I think the rate of giving seats in general is much higher than Japan.


今朝、いつも使ってる地下鉄のエレベーターの前にこんなサインがあった。

「電車に乗る前に降りる人に出入り口を譲りましょう」

一瞬こんなサインがわざわざあるのに驚いた。でもこの地下鉄を使う人達の中で結構譲らない人って多い。私はもちろん日本で育ったから電車を頻繁に小さな頃から使ってたし、こういう常識ってものが自然に身についていたんだと思うから驚いたんだと思うんだけど、やっぱりこういう風に書いてないと気をつけない人って世の中多いんだな。アメリカ人の中でも常識ある人も多いけど常識ないも人多い。結構混んでいる電車の中で目の前の空いてる席に平気で足上げてたり。人のこと考えて思いやりながら接していたら自然にそういう「常識」って生まれるんじゃないかなーって思う。ロサンゼルスって多国籍な街だから各人は常識あるかもしれなけど、国籍が違うと常識も違ってくるからお互い学び合ってうま〜く調合するんじゃなくて、ぶつかりあって自分は自分になっちゃったのかな。それとかお互い理解できなかったとかね。悲しいね。ま～私も自分のこと、棚に上げてる場合じゃないけどね。自分勝手なところたくさんあるし…。こんなサインを見て、我が身を見直した今日でした。

追記：常識ない人多いって書いたけど、そうでない人もちゃんといます。誤解されないように書いておかないと．．．。男性、特にヒスパニックの男性は年老いた女性、若い女性関わりなく席を譲ってくれる。もちろん年寄り、病人、妊娠してる女性などなど、席を譲る人の率って日本よりも多いかもな。