Hi hillsideresident,

Your first post had me thinking a lot about authority.

I know that I skewed the topic towards leadership and groups which you mentioned but you also wrote, “…about our acceptance of authority.”

Now, there’s a topic.

When I read your initial post yesterday and now your latest today I sense a kindred spirit in having a cocked, quizzical eyebrow looking keenly at authority. I think accepting authority is a part of heathly maturation. And I also think that focusing our attention on the nature and questioning the use of that authority is also a cornerstone of the same healthy maturity.

I too understand Jolly Chap’s motives if he needed the toilet. I’d go even further and say that he was being courteous by not doing it on the train.

The train driver in carrying out his duties is probably encouraged to keep us all on the train when outside of stations. I can imagine him slumping over the wheel when he saw the red light come on to say that the emergency door system had been activated. He probably went, “Good grief, here we go…”.

Isn’t it amazing that such a simple little event like this that we can extrapolate so much about the human condition and society? We could probably create a week long conference for Social Scientists, Philosophers, Psychologists et al just based on the 20.22 London Victoria to Forest Hill train.

P.S. I loved slam-door trains. Bring them back after the Routemaster has been successfully reintroduced!