Unfortunately, the culture of today’s youth is not at an enviable level. We often witness on the street when an elderly person asks for help from a young person, that the young person just passes by without looking at him. It often happens that an older person asks for help to cross the street, while the young person next to him continues on the road without stopping. It often happens on buses, when young people sit, while old frail people stand next to them. It also happens that pregnant women stand next to a seat where a young man is sitting. Somehow young people lack that empathy and respect that they should show in such a moment.
Such and similar events are published on the popular Reddit forum Am I the Asshole where comments are made about the event described. One boy described a situation that happened to him one night when he was returning from work. He explained that he refused to give way to the pregnant woman next to his seat. The young man first told this story to his family. Normally they condemned his behavior and they got angry with him for his bad behavior. That is why he published the incident on the forum, to hear other opinions on this topic. The boy explained the whole situation in detail. The young man explained that he works 10 hours a day that requires constant standing. He says that from his workplace to the bus station is a distance of 15 – 20 minutes on foot. After a hard day, which he spent almost all standing on his feet, he wanted to spend time on the bus to rest and sit.
He noticed the pregnant woman when she got on the bus, but pretended not to see her. He had headphones on and was listening to music, so he tried to ignore her. The pregnant woman started talking to him and told him to give her place. The young man refused and explained why. The pregnant woman began to cry and explained that she was a single mother. This is how the whole mess on this topic came about. The young man replied that he was sorry for that, but that it was her choice and that he had nothing to do with it. He said that there is an option for abortion, which is free. Then another elderly passenger intervened. He condemned the young boy’s words and offered the pregnant woman to sit in his place.
While the pregnant woman and the elderly passenger were changing places, the bus stopped suddenly and they both fell. They started calling the driver abusive, but he ignored them and stopped at the nearest bus stop.
Most users of the forum condemned the behavior of the young boy. They wrote that although he was tired after a hard day of 10 hours of standing, he still had to give his place to the pregnant woman. The users of the forum explained that the danger is greater if the pregnant woman falls for both her and her baby, than if he falls as a young boy, he will only pass with bruises and scratches. For a pregnant woman’s baby it can be fatal for his life.
Another part of the forum users thought he was not completely guilty. They say the young boy’s words were wrong and it was not nice of him. But since we all know what public transportation is like, there were probably other people on that bus who could have given their seat to the pregnant woman but did not. They say that the speech of the pregnant woman who said that she is a single mother, and had nothing to do with the situation in which she finds herself, was unnecessary or even strange. However, they also condemn his words about abortion, believing that there was no need for him to delve so deeply into topics that do not interest him.
The other users of the forum think that both are right in their own way. The boy does not know the whole story of the pregnant woman, nor does the pregnant woman know the whole story of the boy. The pregnant woman may have had a car but cannot use it because it is being repaired. They also think that the boy’s job is his choice, in the end he earns from that job. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.
However, most users of the forum agreed that the young man should give his place to a pregnant woman. The main reason is due to the danger of falling. If the young boy falls from the sudden braking, it will not have lasting consequences. If a pregnant woman falls, it can be fatal to the fetus and even to her life. They think that this situation could simply end with the boy giving up his place to the pregnant woman. Although he was tired and certainly felt exhausted, it did not make him more vulnerable than a pregnant woman.
Maybe the boy learned a lesson from the various comments he had the opportunity to read from the users of the forum. Maybe the next time he finds himself in such a situation, he will simply give up and will not enter into further talks.
How do you think about this topic? Do you think the young boy is right or the pregnant woman is right? Do you condemn the boy’s behavior and speech? Do you find logic in a pregnant woman’s speech? Do you think that anyone has the right to talk about your life? Do you consider abortion a normal act or do you condemn it? How do you react when you find yourself in a situation where you have to give up your seat on the bus to an older man or, in this case, a pregnant woman? You can write your thoughts in the comments.
