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Subject:Push wise and pull foolish From:Brian Martin <martin -at- sodalia -dot- it> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 27 Jan 2000 09:37:11 +0100
I was trying to find something interesting to say to the list today instead of reading a System Design document when I came across this tidbit in a mail with the original title "RE: ADMIN: Re: OT How do I unsubscribe?.. reading directions".
<snip>
3. Incompetence. Raise your hand if you've never pushed a door labeled pull.
</snip>
<spin>
The fact is that one is conditioned frequently by one's environment. I used to consider myself push-pull competent. Then I moved to Italy...
Americans tend to pull to get in and push to get out. Italians appear to like to push to get in, and pull to get out. (Or is it the reverse? I can't remember anymore.) Try as I may, read as I do, the simple truth is that in the fraction of a second in which I have to send the signal to my brain to
move the door object in my path (while I process other incredibly important facts of the day like buying more socks), I usually find myself doing the wrong thing. Then I have the fine opportunity of standing in the middle of humanity contemplating my inability to accomplish simple tasks.
At first this only happened in Italy. Now on my trips to America, I even manage to do the wrong thing there. So, I ask you: Is the user manual ever enough?
Bye the way, does anyone out there know of a manual for picking your nose? I've got to start one from scratch and... Nevermind :-o
Brian "I have an English Literature degree, too" Martin
<metamessage> If I say anything you don't like, act like you didn't read it.</metamessage>
