Our catch phrase is on its way.
Dear Fellow Earthlings,
Have you ever noticed how the push button for closing an elevator door is always more worn than the one for opening the door? See the photos included at the end of this blog for what we typically witness when we look at these buttons…
A few points can be inferred from this phenomenon:
1) It is a busy world and we need to get that elevator closed as quickly as possible so that we can be on our way to the floor of our choice. 2) For some people, getting that door closed is a way of gaining a degree of security, cutting down on the possibility of their being accosted by someone who might slip quickly into the elevator with a view to robbing or otherwise harming them in mind. 3) Some of us merely wish to avoid having to acknowledge the presence of others — that is, we want a brief moment of privacy.
What are the implications of this behavior on our part??
For one thing, owners of elevators have to spend additional money to keep the buttons in a state of maintenance that does not show our tendency to push “close” buttons “quickly and powerfully", causing them to show the effects of wear so much more quickly than the “open” buttons do.
For another, there are probably instances in which people have indeed protected themselves from harm by getting the door closed quickly enough to escape the damage they might have suffered at the hands of wrongdoers.
Finally, the brief moment of “control” we may feel when we orchestrate our own privacy/ scheduling concerns gives some of us a means of escaping the ever increasing state of hustle and bustle that living in today’s world is constantly throwing at us…
My conclusion from all this is that vigilance is important. But, if you are reasonably sure that individuals or groups seeking to board YOUR elevator present no threat to you, then do the right thing: Greet them, smile, and enjoy a moment of bliss together as you and your fellow riders proceed to your respective destinations!
Life is after all, not just “You” and “Me” — but “All of Us”!
By the way, elevators whose control panels do NOT provide buttons enabling riders already on board to force the closing of their doors also exist. Such elevators ARE, however, equipped with buttons for holding the doors open longer to accommodate latecomers trying to board them.
Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.