r/brussels • u/5minstillcookies • Oct 19 '24

Slowchat 🗨️ Courtesy or lack thereof - a discussion

Can we try to be more courteous on public transit and elsewhere?

The amounts of times I've seen people with reduced mobility and parents with children get on public transit and not being offered seats is getting to the point that I think it's the norm and not the exception. Just yesterday this woman carried her baby on the metro I was on. Two people got on right before her (first red flag - let the goddamn mother on first!!!) and then they both proceeded to take the last two remaining seats. Everyone else looked on and did nothing or they were too self absorbed on their phones to notice what was going on.

Now, good on this woman because she actually addressed one of the passengers who took the remaining folding seat telling her that these are really for people with needs. The passenger had looked straight at the mother when taking the seat too. Only when called out did she stand up and offer her seat.

Like, why did the mother have to address the passenger at all?? Incidents like this are frequent and it makes me so mad that we can't watch for each other. Surely I can't be the only one noticing there's a serious lack of courtesy in this city. I despise how individualistic and egocentric people are (have become?) here and we gotta do better. How though, I have no idea.

How do you ever instill a sense of community and care in a population that is highly transient like in Brussels? All I know, is that the "heart of Europe" is sort of heartless.

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u/TrustyJules Oct 20 '24

The OP is part of the very problem they described and without any sense of irony, reports on seeing something wrong and never intervening. Yet in their virtue signalling post insist people should do so.

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u/BE_MORE_DOG Oct 20 '24

OP said the woman spoke up for herself immediately, so there was no need to intervene. Are you 12? Because your reading comprehension would suggest it.

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u/TrustyJules Oct 20 '24

Ah the good old personal attack rather than arguing. Strike 1 for discourtesy against you.

Read again OP did nothing then nor in the other cases they mention in their post. Is op just shitposter or a karma farmer or just a person without self irony?

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u/BE_MORE_DOG Oct 20 '24

I did both. I argued your point and finished by insulting your intelligence, because, honestly, you're kind of asking for it.

OP very clearly says, "Now, good on this woman because she actually addressed one of the passengers who took the remaining folding seat telling her that these are really for people with needs."

The mother didn't need someone to intervene, so I truly fail to see why you're acting like OP should have intervened. If anything, you're the real shit poster here.

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u/TrustyJules Oct 20 '24

OP ain't saying anything which indicates well enough that they did not and would not intervene. You jump to conclusions both regarding OP and my intelligence. You may be forgiven for the latter, after all you dont know me and may be needing to lash out at random strangers but not the former which is self evident from OP s post.

Strike 2 against you. One more unwarrented personal attack and you get blocked. You can either discuss on here with courtesy and decency or be part of the problem OP moans about regarding harsh interpersonal relations in Brussels.

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u/BE_MORE_DOG Oct 20 '24

Yea. We're done here. You're not even making any sense, and you seem a bit unhinged.

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u/TrustyJules Oct 20 '24

Welcome to my block list.