The Taipei MRT’s priority seats are at the heart of a controversy after a viral video of an altercation between a young woman and a septuagenarian went viral late last month, showing her kick the 73-year-old woman, who had berated her and hit her for occupying a priority seat. Some endorsed the behavior of the seated passenger, while others said it was important to show compassion. Refusing to yield a priority seat is not a crime, but the behavior raises questions of proper etiquette.
Faced with an empty priority seat, is it acceptable to sit there? It is not a legal question — it is about the moral code the passenger upholds. Is the legality of a matter the only consideration in such situations, or are empathy and mindful compassion also needed?
If the compassion and empathy angle has personal and societal value, some key points need to be understood to realize the goal.
The standards of what is moral and good must be self-imposed without discriminating between who is worthy of benevolence.
Anyone might be in need, so everyone should show empathy. That makes every member of society an altruist and a beneficiary. Such a shared morality is the backbone of society, the key to maintaining civility and far more nuanced than mere adherence to the law.
The older woman in the MRT video has been described as a repeat offender when it comes to practicing “moral blackmail” on the MRT, having often been seen demanding priority seats. Even so, she deserves kindness and the public can give it.
The Buddhist ideal of compassion is rooted in the pursuit of an internal moral code that does not stoop to conditionality or fuss over exceptions. It is all-encompassing and absolute.
It was encouraging to see that even at peak travel hours, when MRT cars are packed with people tired from a long day of work, priority seats often remain unoccupied in case someone needs them. Indeed, the vast majority of people still live by their own code of ethics.
No matter how rude someone might be, as National Academy for Educational Research president and philosopher Lin Chung-yi (林從一) says, the crux of any moral question lies with who is willing to “take the least selfish position.” That means assuming that someone else might need the seat more, a moral practice that benefits not just others, but ourselves, too.
It is not inherently wrong for a person of sound health to take a priority seat, but it does say something about their sense of morality. How a person responds to the moral appeal of the dark-blue seats is important, never mind whether they would go as far as to launch into a forceful kick.
Some praised the seated passenger and demonized the older woman without knowing all the facts. Their level of moral self-discipline is a far cry from what was demonstrated by the volunteers who rushed to Hualien County to help rebuild after the flooding last month.
The difference is astonishing.
Pan Kang is department chair of the Applied Music Department at Tainan National University of the Arts.
Translated by Gilda Knox Streader
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