2009/01/27 New York
Pensive
Regret
An acquaintance informed me about an interesting blog: marginalrevolution.
Today on marginalrevolution there is a link to the question: Which personality types let you cut in line?:
‘Back in the 70's, a classic study showed that people using a photocopier were just as likely to give way to a line-pusher who gave the nonsense excuse "because I need to make copies", as they were to one who gave the more sensible excuse "because I'm in a rush". Ellen Langer and colleagues interpreted their finding as showing how mindless we often are. As soon as we hear the word "because", we assume the excuse that follows is justified and respond accordingly. Now Scott Key and colleagues have replicated this classic study, with the further aim of finding out if some personality types are more likely than others to give way.’
I have never been a line-pusher and I say this with regret. I just think it is not very aristocratic to bother other people with your needs. I love to stand in line pensively. Or rather I’d love the other waiters to think: oh, there is a patient and pensive man.
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26 comments 
You are indeed an aristocrat. The illusion is merely that others waiting in line, ever think about you.
At work I sometimes give a lecture about ‘Zen and the art of making photocopies’.
At work I sometimes give a lecture about ‘Zen and the art of making photocopies’.
Karel van het Reve
This reminds me of Karel van het Reve.(translated)
The logical instincts of a lot of people are easily satisfied on hearing grammatical constructions involving 'thus', 'because' and 'therefore'. I know two architects who furiously defend the proposition that 'a door connects two rooms and should therefore have the same color on both sides.' Recently, I was asked by a young man to sign a petition in which people were called to demonstrate against, among other things, the war in Vietnam---a demonstration for which they were not going to ask permission. On asking why not, he answered that he didn't want to ask the authorities for permission because they didn't oppose the war.
Taken from: Ik heb nooit iets gelezen (I have never read anything)
Some line-pushers are more easy to forgive than others.
The worse line-pushers are the ones in traffic during the rush hour, when the try to cut you off. They don't even try to say 'excuse me', BECAUSE they are in their cars.
The best you can do, is to safely shorten the distance with the car in a front, and if the line-pusher still tries to cut you off (some are nasty, and will litteraly try to push you off the road), just press the siren and hold it until the intrudor jerks off (it works, 'cause they don't like that kind of attention).
The best you can do, is to safely shorten the distance with the car in a front, and if the line-pusher still tries to cut you off (some are nasty, and will litteraly try to push you off the road), just press the siren and hold it until the intrudor jerks off (it works, 'cause they don't like that kind of attention).
Believe it or not but I am not a line-pusher. However, only the law holds me back from slaughtering anyone who attempts to be a line-pusher while I'm in the line. That I am not a line-pusher has nothing to do with aristocracy but with decency. Aristocracy and decency are two concepts which to my taste very much contradict one another.
Arnon
That is a strategy that is effective. When I still worked in my restaurant I always served first the people that were patient, impatient ones could wait just a little longer. Most waitors react like this. There was only one exception to that rule. Famous people; we loved to let them feel they needed us, so they had to wait untill everybody was served.T.R.
Thank you for the translation.Teresa
Old ladies? People with a wooden leg? Handsome men?Mieke
I meant "waiters" as in "a person who waits for something is a waiter" -- I didn't mean a person who is waiting tables. But your contribution to the discussion is nevertheless somehow appreciated.Also I'd like to remind you that waiting in a restaurant is not the same as waiting in line.
If you were my waitress I would expect you to be quick and extremely sensitive.
I don't like it when I have to ask for another glass of wine, I would like you to sense my need, and act without hesitation.
Have you ever considered becoming my butler? It's more fulfilling than being an artist and you will have some pocket money to buy a decent pair of socks.
I just don't feel it's worth the bother to stop line-pushers. I'm not mindless, I'm spineless.
I went off to buy some tickets today. Since I was out, I could bring some deep-fried pizza and partysnacks for my mothers birthday, she said. So after I got my tickets, I went to the supermarket. I carried three things (the two mentioned and some pears) and I was in line after a lady who was unloading her carrier. The cashing lady said to me "please, do come forward" and I did. The lady didn't know what was happening so the one behind the cash register said "well, she's still unpacking, isn't she. And she was. While I had payed the carrier was unloaded.
So what does that make me? A line-skipper? An excuse for a flirt? Convinient or well-timed?
So what does that make me? A line-skipper? An excuse for a flirt? Convinient or well-timed?
Arnon
Old ladies and people with a wooden leg, always. When it's a man charm helps.Dens
All of the above.Dens
You bought tickets for what exactly?Bother others with your needs
I think theat blogging is to "bother" others with your need. But some people would not care to be bothered and are capable of responding to it without being annoyed.Neria
Many times I asked you kindly to stop commenting on this site.Apparently it is your need to be an unwanted guest in my house.
Are you hoping I will remove you by force?
Are you betting on my pity?
Do you mistakenly believe that you are entitled to annoy me?
Once again I kindly ask you to refrain from commenting on this site.
Arnon,
It's charity. You have a need for attention and you get it from running this blog. Unlike other products you sell, and by selling them you justify the deed as necessity of living (you need to earn a living somehow) you don't get paid for running this blog. Secondly you weren't aristocratically kind enough to my taste, au contraire, instead of being grateful for my charity you tried time and again to insult me. I guess the fact that I'm here for the charity and not for love is killing you.You can do whatever you want, it's in your power to manipulate, remove, and block my comments. Aristocracy is not always harnessed with courage.
Mr. Arnon
I didn't tell because I'm a bit embarrassed. They were 4 tickets for Disney on Ice, a theatreshow. 2 for my mother, 2 for my sister (they both had their birthday in january).Arnon
Waiting in line of waiting in a restaurant , I don't see the difference. In both cases you need to wait untill your being served.The sensitive person I am, I was indeed aware of my guests needs even before they asked me. So maybe this is a favour I could grant you. I 'll be your butler on your next trip, if you want me to. Two weeks should be enough to see if this collaboration has any future. You can contact me through Johannes. He has my coordinates.
The 'of' in first sentence should be 'or'.
Dens
Does your sister enjoy ice skating?Arnon,
Moreover, I am not an uninvited guest in your house because the door was open and it seems to me everybody interpret it as an invitiation. Had you first applied any sort of gate, an arnongrunberg etiquette for commentators you could have argued that I am transgressing it, but you haven't. If anything, you are a very rude and a false host.I thought time and again about "bothering people with your needs" during the past few days. A friend and I talked about crying in front of others and if that is something to be absolutely avoided at any rate. I remember someone saying that they feel pressured by crying people and as a consequence get angry. A girl burst into tears in front of me on tuesday and it's been a long time since I've seen someone cry like that. I didn't get angry but instead felt very awkward and tried my best to comfort her.
Juliane
I personally don't trust people who don't cry when they meet me :))I don't know if she really likes iceskating. When we were kids we went a few times to an iceskatingcircuit and she knew how to iceskate better than me. She seldomly mentions it.
She likes Disney though.
She likes Disney though.
"Did you see how patient that guy was?"
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