OBSERVING THE MESS

I worked in restaurants for many years, which were fertile grounds to observe human behavior.

One of the phenomena I observed was the tendency for people to scream or clap when plates were dropped.

Someone would drop plates, and immediately, a loud "reaction" had to be displayed.

I wondered why that occurred. It seemed to intensify the experience... and not in a way that felt pleasant. It felt uncontrollable in so many senses.

It also taught me common themes about behavior:

Event = reaction

Reaction = inability to be uncomfortable with event

After many years, when this would happen and the screaming or the clapping would commence, I'd just stare at the people. And then... we'd share an uncomfortable moment together.

Why was I not "playing along?" Because... we don't need to have a reaction to everything.

Sometimes, we can just sit and observe the mess.