elbows

I never noticed the elbows.. over here in nyc you do get your usual wackjobs shoving and shouting at people to get out of the way. I usually move out of the way, because you never know how crazy these people are! lol. C'mon its Nyc! the city of crazy people
 
BROOKLYN said:
I never noticed the elbows.. over here in nyc you do get your usual wackjobs shoving and shouting at people to get out of the way. I usually move out of the way, because you never know how crazy these people are! lol. C'mon its Nyc! the city of crazy people
Click to expand...

I don't know about that, the last time I was in NYC I was taken aback by how conscientious people were on the street of personal space, etc., even in Times Square and especially in comparison to Buenos Aires. I'm sure it depends on the day and the person you run into though (and I'm pretty sure I didn't run into any crazy people). People actually would make room for you, and say "excuse me" or "sorry" if they bump into you.
 
One night he passes a tavern, only to see some men quarreling and one even being tossed out of the window. Though he meekly tries to get into a fight himself, hoping to be thrown out in the same way, he isn't successful and leaves the establishment unsatisfied. But he takes great pains to explain that he left not out of cowardice, but out of vanity. He wasn't afraid of being physically humiliated, indeed he longed for it. What he feared was that he wouldn't be understood, that his supreme "literary" genius wouldn't be recognized or respected, and that he would be treated as the insignificant little fly that he considers himself. He remembers the officer who ignored his presence when he tried to start the fight, however. He stalks this man, finding out all about him, hoping to challenge him to a duel. Every day he imagines that as the two of them pass each other on the street, he will intentionally bump the man, instead of yielding to him as he always does. One day the UM finally does find the resolve to carry out his mission, and the two bump shoulders. Though the officer pretends that he doesn't notice the incident, the UM knows that he does notice, and he declares victory for having "publicly placed [himself] on an equal social footing with him. ​

Dostoyevsky's text:
"Why must you invariably be the first to move aside?" ... I kept asking myself in hysterical rage, waking up sometimes at three o'clock in the morning. "Why is it you and not he? There's no regulation about it; there's no written law. Let the making way be equal as it usually is when refined people meet; he moves half-way and you move half-way; you pass with mutual respect."
But that never happened, and I always moved aside, while he did not even notice my making way for him.
....................​
Thought: The Underground Man is offended because he has stubborn principles rather than because he feels truly inconvenienced; he doesn't really mind moving aside, it's just the idea of being somehow lower than the officer that bothers him.


Dostoyevsky text:
But my preparations took a great deal of time. To ... begin with, when I carried out my plan I should need to be looking rather more decent, and so I had to think of my get-up. "[…] I must be well dressed; that inspires respect and of itself puts us on an equal footing in the eyes of the society." (2.1.26)
........................
Thought: Notice how he attempts to be on equal footing "in the eyes of the society." What about in his own eyes? Does the Underground Man perceive himself on an equal level with the officer?

Dostoyevsky text:
In this way everything was at last ready. […] It ... would never have done to act offhand, at random; the plan had to be carried out skilfully, by degrees. But I must confess that after many efforts I began to despair: we simply could not run into each other. I made every preparation, I was quite determined – it seemed as though we should run into one another directly – and before I knew what I was doing I had stepped aside for him again and he had passed without noticing me. […] One time I had made up my mind thoroughly, but it ended in my stumbling and falling at his feet because at the very last instant when I was six inches from him my courage failed me. (2.1.28)
.............................
Thought: This thwarted attempt at revenge perfectly encapsulates the Underground Man's character: all thought, all talk, no action.

Also, this might be of interest:
http://feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/sidewalk-behaviour-exercise/​
 
I haven't been here long but I haven't noticed the elbows much. I have noticed people being really offended when being bumped into though, especially when the other person doesn't acknowledge the offending bump.

Unfortunately it's been me a few times in the way on the street, as people tend to move towards the right hand side (for the most part) while I am in my own little world trying to decipher signs on shop windows! But I am going to be looking out for this elbows thing now. :)
 
snailspace said:
Ok, I've wondered about it for years, have my own ideas about it, but I thought I'd put it here and get some other people's thoughts. What is it with the elbows? Is it only a BsAs thing, or is it all Argentina? If you don't know what I'm talking about then never mind.
Click to expand...



Hi there,
In Argentina when we say someone is "codo/ re codito" and make the elbow movement up and down we mean that the person we are talking about is reluctant to spend or give money.

Kind regards
 
Sorry I forgot to mention that a more neutral term for someone who is codo/ re codito is tacaño. Codo/re codito would be used in a more informal context.
 
I am from New York City and people tend to be careful about bumping into others because back in the 70´s and 80´s when New York City was like no mans land and lawless, bumping into someone or stepping on their foot even by accident could mean serious injury or even death to the offender, even if they said sorry or excuse me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top