No compassion left?

Fittle

I witnessed an incident on the bus yesterday evening. An elderly, (very) drunk man (possibly homeless) tried to get on, but he fell and was lying down on the ramp of the bus. He couldn't get up and for a few seconds, people just looked and did nothing. When it became obvious that he was drunk, the driver began shouting at him to get off his bus...He couldn't move but kept saying 'Im ok..' so he was conscious. Myself and another woman got up and tried to lift him to his feet, but no joy. We lay him back down and asked the driver to radio for help of some sort.

This bus was packed...standing room only...and as I kneeled down and tried to talk to him and the other woman got his belongings together (he had a bag full of stuff), people began getting off the bus and stepped over him, as they did so.

They actually tutted as they stepped over him to get off the bus and one woman called him an 'oul drunk' while the driver continued to shout at him to get off his bus.

Now, I understand that he was drunk and possibly homeless and that people on the bus had homes to get to, children to collect and so on (as I did myself), but for the life of me I can't fathom how so many of them (at least 20) just stepped over another human being to get off the bus and get on with their lives (He was in a very awkward position, so it was more than just a small step to get around him)

Have the world lost it's sense of compassion or if you're drunk, do you not deserve any?

(An ambulance came and the paramedics treated him with the utmost of respect while looking after him, thankfully)

Manach

It could be personal responsibility. People who drink have brought this onto themselves by excessive indulgence. That they would have an implicit assumption that no matter how outre their public behaviour someone, people or the state, will pitch in an take up the slack.
Given the recessionary times and the break-up of social bonds in modern day Ireland, this is proving not to be the case.

mikemac1

It was to due with his condition

If that was an elderly gentleman, fresh faced and sober and he clutched his chest and went down then everyone, well at least the proactive ones would help

But people didn't see a man in distress there Fittle, they saw a drunk who put himself in that condition. Harsh maybe but it's there

There was a video in London and they got a lad to look rough [in a bad way, not a Colin Farrell way ] and down and out and despite his calls for help, nobody would help him. Eventually someone did but it took quite a while.

They put a well dressed young man in the same place and to sit down and people were straight over to help as it looked like he had serious medical issues

The man had issues Fittle but nobody forced him to be a drunk. Again that sounds harsh but that's what people on your bus saw.

I'll see can I find that video, it was on boards that I saw it

Fittle

But nobody thinks (on the spot) 'Oh, he chose to be a drunk' do they?

What I saw was an elderly man who was (obviously) homeless and had his life in a plastic bag that was now all over a bus corridoor. He was lying on the floor and couldn't get up. My thoughts were 'How could someones life get to that point...and WHY is no one helping him to at least stand up?'.

One young girl almost did a gymnastics move to get off the bus and the look of disgust I saw in her face when she looked at him was horrendous. Who was she to judge him

nyarlothothep

Its convenient for people to think, "this person brought it upon themselves, ergo I can walk on that person." Does someone have a choice about where they end up if for example they're born into a broken home, in poverty or whatever, society can be judged quite adequately by its outcasts.

looksee

Twenty people on a bus. Man collapses on bus step for whatever reason. Someone tries to help then calls for assistance, bus waits for something to happen. Remaining 19 people can by most helpful by:

1. Gathering round to gawk
2. Sitting in their seats discussing how terrible it is
3. Using their mobiles to call for yet more help
4. Getting off the bus, and going on their way.

The Corinthian

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Its convenient for people to think, "this person brought it upon themselves, ergo I can walk on that person." Does someone have a choice about where they end up if for example they're born into a broken home, in poverty or whatever, society can be judged quite adequately by its outcasts.

So at what point should we expect that they are personally responsible for their actions then?

slowburner

Fittle wrote: »

WHY is no one helping him to at least stand up?'.

Did it occur to you to help him?
It is a well documented phenomenon, that the more people there are present, the less likely someone is to help.

Fittle

slowburner wrote: »

Did it occur to you to help him?
It is a well documented phenomenon, that the more people there are present, the less likely someone is to help.

If you read my first post, you'll see that myself and another woman were the only people who helped him.

slowburner

Fittle wrote: »

If you read my first post, you'll see that myself and another woman were the only people who helped him.

Most sincere apologies.

It is though, a well documented phenomenon. You and the other person were probably the exception - it's not really a case of their being no compassion left in the world - even though that's how it seems sometimes.
the bystander effect

Sindri

By-stander effect.

It's where the more people present at such a situation as you described in your OP, the less those people feel a responsibility to help. There is a disconnect because blame and shame and guilt can be easily transferred. (We are an odd species now aren't we).

Personally I'm usually the only one who helps in situations like this. You should be proud of yourself Fittle for acting in an exemplary fashion towards your fellow human beings.

starviewadams

Reminds me of the story of a young female Garda getting attacked by a group of 3 or 4 people on the Quays here in Dublin,and despite the streets being packed during rush hour,not one person came to her aide.

I just think that these days the majority of people have become so selfish and self interested that they don't give a damn about anybody else.Even basic things such as saying please and thank you have fallen by the wayside here in Dublin,in my experience anyways.

Fair play to you for helping the man in question though OP.

looksee

OP, can you tell us, exactly, what did you want everyone else on the bus to do?

That's a genuine question. You and someone else tried to help (and that is to be applauded). You were unsuccessful, why do you assume someone else might have been more successful? The driver evidently called for assistance.

How would it have helped for anyone else to come fussing round trying to get the man to his feet? Just tell us what you wanted everyone else to do?

You were offended by people stepping over him. Should they have all stayed on the bus waiting for something to happen? How would that have helped anything?

(I would also point out that not everyone would be in a position to help. I look perfectly fit but if I knelt down in that situation I would then have to be helped to my feet, not a lot of use in the circumstances!)

Zombrex

starviewadams wrote: »

I just think that these days the majority of people have become so selfish and self interested that they don't give a damn about anybody else.Even basic things such as saying please and thank you have fallen by the wayside here in Dublin,in my experience anyways.

That wouldn't be my experience. I was on a bus a few weeks ago and a woman fainted. Lots of people rushed to help her.

The issues here is that that this guy was clearly out of his head on drink. How exactly do you "help" such a person. You are as likely to get attacked by him as you are to be thanked. And for what, getting him up so he can stumble a few meters and then collapse again.

I suspect the initial rush to sympathy was because this guy was an old man, and we instinctively think of old people as fragile and cuddly and wise and all that stuff.

If this was an 18 year old skanger with his top off having just pissed himself because he had been knacker drinking for 12 hours straight I doubt there would complaints about lack of sympathy.



Well sorry but drunk old men can be as dangerous and disgusting as drunk young men.

gcgirl

Did he reek of drink? If not the below could maybe explain things
It's like one of the road safety ads the chap on it drunk drove crashed got a brain injury and he says himself he looks drunk all the time, movement speech & also my grand dad had a stroke yrs ago unfortunate he died couple of yrs after but when he had the stroke he looked pissed even though he did not touch a drop of alcohol

People make presumptions sadly and even in the case of a woman in the middle of the day bring dragged through the street to be raped by a stranger in an apartment block every one else thought it was a domestic !

The Celtic tiger has intensified Irish peoples selfishness

krd

One time a few years back. I was on train in Dublin, in a very crowded carriage. The girl beside me collapsed. Me and another guy got down to help her. But the rest of the carriage - and this was unbelievable - they took out their mobile phones and filmed her, and sniggered at her. I still get really angry whenever I think about it. There was one woman, and I had to physically block her, because she was trying to shove her camera phone in the girls face.

Sadly, I think many Irish people are worthless basstards.