4 ms·

There's something to #6. I agree it's pronounced at Walmarts. I've observed the same lack of sensitivity when going to a Costco in a poor side of town vs a more

There's something to #6. I agree it's pronounced at Walmarts. I've observed the same lack of sensitivity when going to a Costco in a poor side of town vs a more well to do, I've used that repeated experience as an Apples to Apples comparison. The shoppers in the poorer part demonstrate poor personal spatial habits and being oblivious to blocking others or other actions that demonstrate blinders and indifference to being in the presence of other people and general shopping etiquette. Blocking products, aisles, not yielding enough space, not making eye contact when you're about to intersect paths. It's nothing super egregious and extreme but it's noticeable, and I'm sure probably measurable too if one had a body cam and documented situation A vs B over a several trips and itemized all the strange encounters. If I'm at a Whole Foods, the sensitivity is way at the other extreme of politeness. I wonder if anyone's ever went deep on an analysis of this sort of phenomenon.

Tarsul 5y ago
It's a true point albeit a delicate one. I have a colleague who is not the brightest (not a developer ;)) and what I've noticed with him is that there's something of a misunderstanding of social contexts in that he interpretes things others do as in bad faith when they're anything but and which is why in such social contexts he's constantly agitated. So he's simply missing the empathy or emotional intelligence to see things from the viewpoint of another person. He'd be one of the people being annoyed that others don't make room for him but also in the same vein he'd be one of those persons not watching out for others simply because he'd have his head full of thinking about himself and what he wants to buy, he simply wouldn't have the mental capability to think about other shoppers in that moment.
- tacocataco 5y ago
  Your friend sounds like he has PTSD from some sort of mistreatment.

Tarsul 5y ago

It's a true point albeit a delicate one. I have a colleague who is not the brightest (not a developer ;)) and what I've noticed with him is that there's something of a misunderstanding of social contexts in that he interpretes things others do as in bad faith when they're anything but and which is why in such social contexts he's constantly agitated. So he's simply missing the empathy or emotional intelligence to see things from the viewpoint of another person. He'd be one of the people being annoyed that others don't make room for him but also in the same vein he'd be one of those persons not watching out for others simply because he'd have his head full of thinking about himself and what he wants to buy, he simply wouldn't have the mental capability to think about other shoppers in that moment.

tacocataco 5y ago
Your friend sounds like he has PTSD from some sort of mistreatment.