probably.
but, when there's lack of a better way, queues are a sign of civilization... they are indications of mutual respect. they're deeply egalitarian: it doesn't matter who you are, or what you own, if you need a service that has a queue, you stand in line just like everyone else.
have you tried to buy a ticket to the beijing zoo in china? it's a zoo. there's no line... just a mass of people crowding in front of the window. you have to be highly assertive to get to the window without being pushed around. well, i tried in 2007-2008... maybe things have improved there now. after all, they were aware of the issue and they did try change it.
i stayed up late last night doing (what else?) some processing on the day's harvest of pictures, so obviously i was going to sleep in. and i did. at around elevenish, i got up to a symphony of shouting, name-calling and intentionally long-lasting honking over which i drowsily inquired, WTF?
it looks like there's going to be yet another strike somewhere along the chain of distribution for gasoline, which obviously means that the station at the corner across the street is very busy pumping away in an attempt to serve the long line of cars waiting to fill'er'up.
ah... but this is greece, and the station is on a corner... which also means that a few highly clever individuals are attempting to cut in from the intersecting street... inevitably leading to fighting and yelling and horns.
the drivers in the queue proper are mad! they've been waiting a long time! but the cutter-inners, well, 'who says the line is from over there?'
'you're smart and we're malakes*?'
'right now, you're teaching your child that it's ok to cheat.'
well, actually, yes -- that's exactly what these people are teaching their children.
'you're smart and we're malakes*?'
'right now, you're teaching your child that it's ok to cheat.'
well, actually, yes -- that's exactly what these people are teaching their children.
so the bickering and honking goes on and on... i've been going through my email... and it's now half-past noon... and it looks like it'll stop when the station finally sells it all.
am i naive in suspecting that this is going on all over the country? in the birthplace of democracy, a group of people are incapable of respecting a simple queue. isn't it ironic..?
well, i suppose i shouldn't complain too much. at least i don't live near a sunday-morning-bell-ringing-state-endorsed-church.
©2010 helen sotiriadis
* a word that means all sorts of things, take your pick. -- in this context, it means sucker.
am i naive in suspecting that this is going on all over the country? in the birthplace of democracy, a group of people are incapable of respecting a simple queue. isn't it ironic..?
well, i suppose i shouldn't complain too much. at least i don't live near a sunday-morning-bell-ringing-state-endorsed-church.
©2010 helen sotiriadis
* a word that means all sorts of things, take your pick. -- in this context, it means sucker.
