I think I am becoming more and more of a citizen of this place as I am imitating the things I experience on a daily basis. I see a need to control things from many people I meet and contact on a daily basis. From the people on the tram who want to be at the door to exit well before the stop to the students who insist that they know how to teach. There seems to be a belief that each person must control their "world" or they will lose it. Or at least someone will take something they have. I have seen this need to control played out here many times:
- Drivers insisting on telling you how to drive and what you are doing wrong by blowing their car horn over and over (usually this means the person is driving too slowly).
- Students demanding that I make them understand grammar (as if I fully understand English grammar myself!).
- Getting shoved out of the way on the tram or bus because some anal person needs to get to the door ... as if the tram/bus will leave before they exit.
- Creepy security people with creepy security gates in every building. What exactly do they fear?
- Of course, the evil women at government offices who clearly have low self-esteem and must make you feel inadequate so that they can feel better about themselves having to do a job that requires very little intelligence (ok, I am being judgmental ... I just hate those ladies!)
I know people everywhere in the world have similar behavior. But the extent to which I see it here has begun to be irritating and sometimes angering. What can I do? Watch my behavior and be sure not to become what I dislike.
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