Each car of the subway has a few priority seats for the old, disabled, pregnant, or with small child. Most of the time though, it's high school kids sitting in these seat. Oh like yesterday's picture, wow that's synergy.
I can honestly understand why high school kids do this, as they essentially work 14 hour school days, in a school system that is 100% stressful, 100% of the time. the unfortunate thing though, is that when somebody who really needs these priority seats comes on the subway, the high school kids don't get up.
This is where the real problem in Taiwan comes up, Taiwanese are not very socially aware. Everything from driving, to standing in line, to riding the subway, many people do what they want without any concern for others. Even this I'm ok with, as i understand that many people are jerks. The thing that actually disturbs me, is that the rest of the people just allow this to happen.
I often comment that for as arrogant Americans are portrayed to be, we are actually more friendly in America. But that this has nothing to do with being nice, but rather knowing that if we do something bad, the people around us will gang up on us and yell at us, or worse. However in Taiwan, cutting in line, or not giving up a priority seat, or breaking any of the many other rules of social etiquette is just ignored, rather than punished through social ridicule.
But never fear, I am here to save the day. My super power? Being a passive aggressive. Usually when I encounter this situation, I will say loudly to a friend in chinese "kids have no virtue." sometimes that gets them to get up, sometimes they have no idea what i am saying. But I always feel that it's partly dangerous for me to learn chinese, as it will mostly just lead me to arguing with strangers. Eventually when I can speak well enough, I will just directly speak to them about giving up their seats. And...probably accost every other rule breaker I come across.
It's not ok to be a jerk to people, but ok to be a jerk to bad people. I'd be like the Dexter of social etiquette.
