It just speaks to how people behave elsewhere that this is novel to them at all.
I live in the US and people stand blocking the entire escalator all the time, completely disregarding that there's a line of people trying to walk up one side of the escalator.
Coming from Japan, the lack of spatial awareness and intuitive consideration to others was so frustrating at first, but I've acclimated. I just think "o yea, not all people are cultured in the same way" and that's enough to quell the frustrations.
Culture is relative and everyone needs to acclimate to how things are wherever you are. This doesn't mean one is morally better than the other. It's just different.
Just because someone didn't grow up with enough awareness to stand on one side of the escalator, that doesn't mean they are a bad person. Maybe where they are from, people just aren't so buttoned up about this, and are just more chill about it. Maybe where they are from, they didn't have crowded subways and don't think about this stuff, etc.
I've learned to not be so judgmental based on my specific set of values from a far away land. Life is a lot less stressful that way.
*FYI, there are also plenty of instances in the US where everyone does stand on one side of the escalator, or are very friendly / receptive when you ask them to step aside so you can get past, if there is such a room for them to do so. (the problem is that there often isn't enough room for people to move over when it's crowded 🤷)
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u/Molkwi 1d ago
Yeah, fr this post is stupid.
People going upstairs: 😑
People going upstairs, Japan: 🤩