While I was riding the skytrain to work today, a pregnant lady got on at one of the stations. Now, the train was far from crowded yet there were no empty seats [I myself was standing up.] So I look around... the closest seats to the door... 5 men and one woman sitting down. Train starts and I keep looking around to see one of the 'gentlemen' stand up and let her sit - the thought of giving a speech did cross my mind repeatedly during this interval. Lo and behold, nothing happens. We have 5 young, healthy, middle-class men sitting down while a pretty, young, healthy, pregnant middle-class woman is holding on for her life - admittedly, skytrain rides are occasionally bumpy.

The one lady that I mentioned was the one that finally stood up to offer her seat. She was the oldest of the 'group' [as in, over 35 or so] and the only one with a clue as to what's polite. I turned to her to make a remark about how one would expect a gentleman to make that gesture and how none were, apparently, in sight. This would have led to some distinctly painful damages to my body, but that's not why I refrained from comments, she just moved further up the aisle.

I know these things probably happen everyday. And you think "blah, nothing special, what's this guy's deal?" Well, my deal is that it has become something commonplace. We're desensitized, caught in our mindsets and life's something we live on pain-killers, anti-depressants and recreational drugs. I do not think those men were ill-intended. I think they were either unmannered or simply blocking life from their minds [because, yeah, it's fucking hard to deal with life sometimes.] More and more we all go this path, start leaving our children to their own devices, DVD players and video games in Mom' SUV, allowance and rides from Dad. The downfall of the technological age is that everyone has access to technology when some should not be entitled. It is, for many, a drug. It forms addictions that are not physically harmful [in general] and as such tolerated by our gym-going society. The flip-sode is that women are mistreated, not made to feel special and not given the proper attention they deserve.

The list could go on...

society