Author: Mr. Morteza Majdafar
Notes on the Behavioral Culture of People in the Metro
One of the behaviors frequently observed during metro journeys is passengers offering their seats to others, including women, women carrying luggage or accompanied by children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.
I have often noticed that some younger individuals, who seem to be in an internal struggle with their conscience, eventually rise with a sense of pride one or two stations before their destination and offer their seats to someone more deserving. These individuals are still better than those who pretend to sleep or those who, ignoring the elderly standing above them, remain engrossed in a mobile game.
A few days ago, as I had to travel to the end of one of the metro lines, I boarded the train at the third station. There was no seat available, so I had to travel standing. A young man, approximately 25 years old, was seated nearby. At that moment, an elderly man boarded the train and, with difficulty, held onto one of the poles above the young man’s seat.
Not long after the train began moving, the young man stood up and respectfully offered his seat to the elderly man. My incorrect assumption was that the young man would disembark after one or two more stations. To my surprise, however, he did not get off the train, and even when the elderly man disembarked at a station, the young man, who was undoubtedly tired like me, chose not to sit and instead offered the vacant seat to another person.
My assumption had been completely disproven. The young man stood for the entire journey to the final station, and not only was he undoubtedly spiritually uplifted, but I also experienced a delightful sense of joy: Chivalry, even if it is as simple as offering one’s seat to another, is still alive in my homeland.