Member-only story
Relative Etiquette — How the Pandemic is Highlighting Cultural Adaptivity
Today I got called a selfish bitch. Why? Because I refused to share our small building elevator with a person not in my household.
I get why they are upset. In normal times, refusing to share an elevator is, indeed, pointlessly selfish, unless you have so much stuff you’re legitimately taking up all of it.
In normal times, I would never do that. The fact is, a standard 4'3 by 4'3 elevator, which is what our building has, is basically a small, enclosed box. Any virus expelled by one rider is going to go straight to the other. Even with masks and turning to face the wall, I’m simply not comfortable with it. Elevators are going to be a huge problem in places where people have to return to work and take extended elevator rides…and the number of elevators present isn’t sufficient for people to “hog” a car.
Which all reminded me of something too many of us don’t realize: Etiquette and manners are very relative.
New York, New York
I’ve been to New York once. It was an interesting experience and one I would love to repeat.