Passenger Shaming… My Newest & Most Favorite Obsession
Matt7:23
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
I’ve had many obsessions in my life. Of my obsessions, Food is the most all-encompassing... Breaking Bad is the most intense, and collecting old-school WWF action figures (don’t call them dolls) is probably the weirdest. But currently, it is my newest and most favorite obsession, Passenger Shaming, that rents the largest amount of space in my consciousness. I am rapturously obsessed with it. Here is Passenger Shaming on Twitter, and Instagram.
Passenger Shaming was created by a former cop, paramedic, stay at home mom, know-it-all & freelance writer who did time in the air. Passenger Shaming serves as a photo-evidence depository and rant room for fliers unlucky enough to be seated next to a human that has yet to become sentient. Flight staff & civilian fliers from all over the world secretly snap photos of passengers engaged in unkempt and unsanitary. A short perusal of Passenger Shaming provides great clarity on two fronts. 1 — Being a Flight Attendant is a very difficult and demanding job. 2 — Worldwide societal collapse is in progress, and nowhere on earth is that more on display than Passenger Shaming.
Photos of passengers clipping their toenails, napping shirtless, placing a bare hoof on their neighbor’s armrest, are matched with commentary that could have been written by a sitcom writing team. For me, that’s the magic. The photos of rude, selfish, uncleanly, fellow passengers wholly un-self-aware, made into comedy by the wit and wisdom of commenting flight staff and followers of the page. It’s a wonderful recipe for comedy and a curative for the rage sparked by the photos. It’s a roller-coaster, a high, and great fun.
But, there is a dark side. There exists a grey area where rational fans of the page genuinely disagree on what is shame-worthy behavior. For example: Does a passenger have the ‘right’ to tilt back their seat for an elongated period of time, during a short flight? What if the person seated behind is using a laptop or e-reader, and is cramped? This is greyness in a volatile setting. Indeed, people are passionate on both sides of the debate.
I am, at the moment, in a boisterous Twitter debate with a mom. The mom is trying to defend changing her infant child while staying in her seat, and not squaring that situation away in the lavatory. A quorum of moms has been gathered and is defending this seated-while-diaper-changing resolution. My rather pointed response so far: “Unsanitary and health issues aside; That you would subject another human being so close in proximity to your circus, is disturbing.” I was pummeled by a mom or two.. then rescued by several supporters who agreed with my sentiment. What say you?
To those lawless few who find themselves shamed: Somehow you have gotten through life so far without addressing your odd yuckiness. We all know you. Without doubt, you’ve been forewarned at previous pivotal moments in your life, but have not responded to the cleanliness & decorum gut-check. Out in the wider world, your behavior continues unabated and unaddressed. But, condensed and distilled within an over-packed flying petri dish in the sky, your behavior becomes a focal point, inescapable, and reason for shaming… and wonderful comedy. Know this debauched fellow fliers: Passenger Shaming has your number, and we don’t feel guilty for calling you out.
Lastly ~ Let’s give Flight Attendants a round of applause. Thank you for all you put up with. The airline industry has diabolical, constantly evolving plans to cram more of us in and seat us in ever smaller seats. This will make our travel experiences more stressful and all of us less tolerant of shameful passenger behavior. Flight Attendants serve on the front lines in this morass. Thank you, and a hat-tip to our FA’s!
