A question of ethics: what do you do if you think someone was robbed?
Stricken by the sympathetic nervous system of my body (the fight or flight response), I was paralyzed as I think I saw a young man pickpocket the wallet out of the back pocket of an older man while standing at the bus stop. He had slick black hair, too much wax, and tan skin; a scrawny guy of medium height, wearing a sports jacket and dark pants. Besides that, I couldn't tell you, and I don't know if I could identify him in a lineup.
But shifty guy did something strange as the old man and I got off the 60, because it wasn't taking us to Cabildo like we thought, so he caught my partial attention: the brain picks up the abnormal and the thalamus zones in on that. It was so fast and I had divided attention that I couldn't formally accuse him of pickpocketing the older gentleman. I wasn't dissecting what was happening but as I digested it later, it was so sketchy a move that I have to assume now that's what happened. The bus started to drive away and I was frozen, I didn't know what to do or what to say. I didn't do anything and I feel like I should have, but that would be involving myself in something that could be unsafe for me, maybe it was a sting. Maybe it wasn't. I didn't know the capabilities of the young man, I didn't know what the reaction would be even with other people around.
So I was quiet.
But my question is, to myself and to you, is what was I morally supposed to do. Should I have asked the man if he still had his wallet? Should I have called out the robber on the bus as it was pulling away? Should I have done what I did and minded my own purse?
Sometimes it's hard in the streets, but why was my decision about Shifty so difficult.
Angela
Hi Angela,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Kay Johnson and I am a senior at MC. I've also spent a lot of time traveling abroad so I definitely can relate to what you are going through. One question I wanted to ask if what the citizens of Argentina thought of you or of Americans. I have found that generally people really like Americans or really dislike them. I've never been to South America before and would like to know the opinions of the U.S.
Thanks :)
Hi Kay,
DeleteSince you've never been to South America it would serve best to first say that some of them outright don't like that we call ourselves American. I go into that more in the April post 'Merica.
But it seems that when people ask where I'm from and I say "East coast US, near NYC" they're all like, "oh you know Miami... blah blah blah". The truth is, no, I don't know Miami. I know where I'm from, sorry. But they all seem to like the US for clothes and shopping and electronics. What gets a little iffy are the politics, who said what, who did what or DIDN'T do what, etc etc.
I was actually talking to some people in line while waiting to get into a concert ...
(briefly: we were approached by a drunken homeless man that wanted our beers. My friend who doesn't dominate the language refused; I did not because I didn't want the man to get violent. So the man tries to talk to us in English and I respond in Spanish - out on the town is not really the ideal situation to expose your identity, especially a US citizen. It simply makes you a target because you are from the "best country in the world".)
... and they asked us after the man had gone where we were from. We felt more comfortable saying it to them than the drunken man, and actually commented that we try to be private about that because of the bad vibes towards US citizens. They nodded and basically affirmed that we were wise to be cautious.
I don't know what the resentment stems from, probably our status in terms of wealth and success, but it's definitely there.
The people that are like "oh MIAMI" usually love the US... . Go figure. If I vacationed in Miami casually, I'd probably be gung-ho too. However, living here for three months, I definitely appreciate more the homeland.
USA USA USA
I hope that helped :)
Angela
Angela,
DeleteThat's a pretty crazy story. It was good that you were on the safe side and didn't tell him that you were American. I've also got that a lot. When I traveled and said I was from America, people generally thought I lived next to movie stars in Hollywood or L.A. So that was pretty funny, but ya I can definitely understand the down-low privacy of our nationality.
Thanks for the reply :) It helped!
Kay
Angela,
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading this, I couldn't help but relate it to what we are currently focusing on in class this week - Ramo and his concept of an ever-changing society. As I related your post to his thoughts, I concluded that in the "old days" no one would have even thought of pick-pocketing another individual so publicly (society was just more trusting back then), and if they did someone would surely speak up about it. But then I realized that I was comparing Ramo to the thoughts and actions of a North American society. So that brings me to my question... do you think that South America has gone through the same changes throughout time that we have (e.g. do you think that in the past it would have been less acceptable for pick-pocketing to occur, or do you think that has always been the ways of where you are)?
I hope you're having a wonderful time! Live it up, it goes by way to fast... but it is such an amazing experience to be able to say you have done and to be able to share with others!
- Kym
Hi Kym,
DeleteBasing this off my own thoughts, I can imagine Argentina as always having the "pickpocket" society. First of all, the government does it, the politicians working for the people do it, and ordinary people do it. Argentina has a history of colonization and war against the native people etc etc, like the US, and they also have a huge immigrant population that came during the first World War. You can imagine the havoc that must have existed at that point - people trying to escape Hitler's secret police and flee drafts. What I picture theft as (at this point) is pretty common. It seems so normal to me, that when I imagine the huge train station in the city back in its glory days - when it was first built - I romantically imagine the 20s and 30s clothing style, men all wearing hats, overcoats and three piece suits, women in long dresses, their fashion hats and perfect hair, fixed by their gloved hands. Along with those ideals, I see the blatantly poor man, wearing rags and running amok. The difference now is that it's not so obvious who's going to rob you.
Unfortunately I will never take my camera out at the train station so you can see the history in its architecture simply because I'm afraid that will make me a target to be robbed.
At 3 months in, I can't believe I'm halfway done. The top of the hill is here and I'm looking forward to an exhilarating rest of the semester.
Fingers crossed this was useful to you,
Angela
SO yes, I realized this didn't come outright, I do think it would have been more scorned upon - it seems just a part of day to day life now. I read somewhere that it's not "if" you get robbed in BA, it's "when".
DeleteThis is such an interesting situation. It's hard to put yourself in that situation in theory, and probably even harder to be in that situation in real life. I honestly am not sure what I would have done... especially being in Argentina. At that point, I think that you have to make sure that your own safety is a priority. I think that you made the right choice, but I understand the question of morality and ethics that you raise. I remember how many times during orientation when I was in Spain they raised the issue of pick pocketing. This is a huge issue abroad and I was standing right beside a friend of mine as she was pick pocketed. It was so bizarre because we were both completely clueless until she checked her purse and noticed her wallet was missing. Cuídate, chica!
ReplyDeleteIt always is an eye-opener, but thank you for the piece of mind :) Me cuido, que estes segura de eso; más que nada ahora :)
DeleteHey Angela,
ReplyDeleteThis is Tiesha Anderson. I hope you are having an amazing time. This situation was very interesting. It made me think of many times in life which we are forced to as ethical questions of ourselves. How has this moment effected your idea of leadership? We miss you and I hope you are doing well. :)
Thank you and hope to see you soon,
Tiesha Anderson
Hey Tiesha,
DeleteThis actually still bothers me that I didn't do anything and I had complete power to. The thing I have to keep remembering is that I don't know what kind of environment it was - that's why I was like a "deer-in-the-headlights". The guy could have had a knife, or been working with someone else, or thrown punches, OR not even have robbed the older guy. Because there was so much uncertainty, I didn't feel "educated" or knowledgeable enough about the situation to safely do anything.
I think my takeaway from this will be to be certain to inform myself about any situation that may arise in my organization/group/team/what-have-you so that I can best handle it and come away without feeling guilty for making [what could have been] a wrong choice.
Thanks for commenting :)
And yes, see you sooner than I think; my, time flies.
Angela