A passing note on a recent incident in the supermarket:
I had finished my purchase, had paid my bill and gathered my plastic covers (should discuss about the environmental concern another time). Now, I was on my way to leave the shop.
There were two doors, both glass doors with two wings each. Through one I had entered the shop. Therefore, I was heading straight towards the other door. On the left wing was written ‘push’. So, I pushed. The door didn’t open, instead it clashed against something. I realized the black plastic box on the other side of that wing and thought, ok, this seems blocked, I will try the other wing. Again energetically I pushed now the right wing of the door; unfortunately with the same clashing result. In the same moment I realized the real cause for the clash -the huge shutter in front of the door was actually lowered just enough not to allow the door to open-; I also realized the commotion of watchmen outside the glass door, who were very concerned the door might break. A friendly staff opened the door by pulling and let me out. But she let me only out to a confrontation with the watchman who was accusing me of intentionally trying to break the door. I felt very annoyed about this and left the place cursing the watchman.
While walking home the incident stuck to my mind? How did this happen? Why was I so determined to use this door, why was the watchman so reproachful about my attempt?
I reached a conclusion at this: different systems! In Germany, if a shop has two doors, one is the entrance, one is the exit. And if on top of that, it’s written ‘push’ on the door, there is only one approach to this situation - push; a system that works on simple rules. In India, maybe the system as such is more complex, no simple rules apply. And please, don’t think I am trying to make fun of this, I am serious. German road traffic works on the ground of a complicated system of rules. Just like in India traffic functions according to a much more complex playing together of different factors, and it works, leaving a shop also requires not only to apply rules but to take the overall context into consideration before acting.
I guess it’s not easy to switch ‘systems’, but maybe keeping this thought on mind, I might be able to avoid a few further ‘cultural’ clashes.
