The Down Escalator

Bugis Junction. 1800 hours. Tuesday.

I'm riding the up escalator heading back to my digs after work. People just finishing work in this mid-town area are riding the down escalator; densely packed, nearly one to every step.

Stand on the left. Walk on the right.   No one is walking on the down escalator.

I wish I could have filmed this for you.

Everyone on the down escalator had their phone out. 

I counted. And did maths. 90% of them had heads rounded downward focussed on their phone screen; not holding conversations, not sending messages, just looking at whatever 'content' it is their preference to 'consume'. The other 10% had their phones in hand, ready to consume at any moment's notice.

Does anyone look up these days? Look out? Look beyond? Imagine, dream, converse, smile at strangers, reach out, reach across....

Singapore is so safe; the people know themselves to be safe, kept safe by their government, so safe that many drift through their environment completely unaware of their surroundings, headphones on, eyes on their phones, no attention at all to what (or who) is happening around them.

Perhaps I should have entitled this post "How to be Alone in a Crowd".

They need a Donkey-riding Tigger to shake their complacency.

Footnote: I have discovered it is easy to be remembered by smiling at and saying good morning, or good evening to people (like the people at concierge desks). White haired European women are rare. Ones who greet you must be even more unusual - some of my 'victims' actually greet me first now - big smile, big good morning! I work in a 30 storied building.  Thousands of people.  The concierge people look so bored in the main reception. We all walk past them.  No one entering or leaving pays them any attention.