There's a story...
2 blog posts in one day! Aren't you lucky readers??!
I've just been to the loo, and as it is that time of the day (ie afternoon, nearly hometime) there was a queue for the cubicles (bear with me I am going somewhere!) and being a good and polite girl I joined the queue but on closer inspection (and after the lady in front of me had found a cubicle) I noticed that one of the cubicle doors wasn't actually closed, just pulled too with the lock on. I poked, I had to find out if it was really closed, and it wasn't. So i unlocked the door and let it close properly, queue averted (I also pee'd before I did this, incase anyone was worried about my bladder!)
So anyway, this reminded me of a story that Tracy tells -
"A monkey enclosure at the zoo is populated with 5 monkeys, and inside the enclosure is a hill. Above the hill hangs a beautiful bunch of banana's. On entry to the enclosure the monkeys run at the hill cheeping and chirruping at the beautiful 'nana's hanging to be eaten. But as soon as they reach the top of the hill and reach up they are blasted with cold water! The monkeys run away scared, but they are intrepid, brave, hungry monkeys and they try again!
Everytime they try and get the bananas the monkeys are sprayed with water until eventually they give up, and studiously avoid the hill and bananas forever more.
Until....
Over a few months the monkeys are swapped out, one at a time. When the first new monkey is put into the enclosure he gets really excited and runs for the bananas but all 4 other monkeys squeak at him, pulling him to get down afraid he'll get squirted! This happens every time a new monkey is swapped into the enclosure, until eventually the 4 "old" monkeys are no longer there and the 4 "new" monkeys have never been squirted, but when the 5th new monkey goes for the bananas he is pulled down...."
I guess that kinda sums up us fairly well. If other people do it, we tend to as well. And this is why it made me thinkle as I tinkled (sorry, I can't resist!) Imagine if work introduced a new loo system without telling you, red means the door is unlocked, not locked, do you think we'd all stand in a queue crossing our legs? Do you think anyone would push the door?
And where could we do with making some secret changes, not to laugh at people, but to just shake things up a bit?
... And there you have it, what does Becca think about when she pees? At least I don't whistle! (Friends Reference!)
Categories: Thoughts
Posted on Tue 1st July 2008 by becca
On Tue 1st July 2008, ...paul commented:
The majority of people would stand and cross their legs. Behaviour patterns are so ingrained into our psyche that most wouldn't try the doors -- at least for a while, until someone realised that no one was coming out of the cubicle. But, even then, people would still be unsure, because, on the whole, most of us are resistant to change at such a basic level.
On Thu 7th August 2008, Rockdragon commented:
Wow! That's deep. Very true and very perceptive though. Is it our fear of looking stupid that stops us pushing the metaphorical door? If it had been locked then you could have had the embarrassment of facing the person you tried to barge in on when they came out. Paul's right, we don't like change and we also like being part of the flock. I'm talking subconsciously or behaviourally here. I'll give you another example:
At Norwich station the staff don't usually let the passengers on the trains until about 30 seconds before they leave (ok, exaggeration). All the passengers just stand there fuming at the belligerent staff, waiting. I usually do the same. Occasionally, if I am in a very bad mood, I weave through the crowds people to the front of the mob. They look at me and wait for me to be shouted at and sent out of the station by the gate keepers to hell (yes, that is an other exaggeration, National Express staff don't always shout). You can almost sense the expectation and excitement as they wait to see me sent back to the mob where I belong.
The feeling is wonderful when the barrier crew just glance at my ticket and let me on the train!
I think we need a few more toilet door openers here in this country. We seem to have got in the habit of just doing what our engaged sign State tells us to... but don't get me started on politics!