Member-only story
13th February 2025
Why have people discarded spatial awareness?
Asking when people became so self-centred and tunnel-visioned is probably a stupid question. On a grander scale, that kind of energy has always been present in the world.
Perhaps what I’m noticing isn’t new. Perhaps I’m just becoming more and more hypersensitive to and observant of the world around me.
Public transport
Yesterday, I was getting on the train. It was busy, and I was moving accordingly and following the queue of people getting on. A woman literally barged past me and was practically standing on my head. I’m, of course, being hyperbolic, but I need you to understand the level of space invasion that occurred.
I started positioning myself in front of her to get on first — because how rude? Did she not see me? She continued to barge into me, at which point I turned around and fired at her, “What are you doing?!” She looked at me blankly with no verbal response.
A similar thing happened the day before, with a guy. I get it, you’re going somewhere, but aren’t we all? Why must you step on my feet? Yes, it’s busy, but with just a little observation you’ll recognise there’s space on the train for us all.
