Ok I’m dropping the ‘history mic’ for you as an intro: “Pavlov’s Dogs by Saul McLeod published 2007, updated 2013. Like many great scientific advances, classical conditioning was discovered accidentally. During the 1890s Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov was looking at salivation in dogs in response to being fed, when he noticed that his dogs would begin to salivate whenever he entered the room, even when he was not bringing them food. At first this was something of a nuisance (not to mention messy!).” Source: http://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html
OK so I am definitely not a scientist, I mean I have a dog walking business and I am in real estate….BUT I do have VERY strong feelings about how much people abuse technology, example: a guy or gal walking past me on the street, let’s say for over a block, where I am looking around me, admiring the newest bum to stake claim to the freshly mowed grass of a high rise in the city, taking it in and by ‘it’ I mean life and here is this person trekking towards me glued to his phone and after a block I am watching this person and they don’t seem to see me or anyone in the crowd…this person will undoubtedly almost run right into me, I ask you, what is so important?!
So I started a little pre-conditioning experiment of my own, the credit of which goes to a few people in my office who have commanding voices and I have commiserated with them about this trend, they will say ‘you should just stop look at them and say ‘hey dude, LOOK UP!’ Well I don’t have a booming voice, I can speak up like nobody’s business but nothing drill sergeant worthy . So when I tell you what I did, imagine a 30’s something year old blonde gal with a…let’s say..commanding imitation old dude military voice saying certain choice words.
January 15 2015: Asian gent, mid 20’s, phone up, flannel, tight jeans, emo glasses..yea typical Seattlite. Approaching, before passing ‘Hey! Look up!’. Small pause, looking around, confused but puts down phone.
January 16 2015: Young gent, blonde shaggy hair, on phone and almost passing, zigging in front of me ‘Heyo, eyes front!’, looks right at me, apologizes, looks confused and puts down phone. I look back after he passes as does he, still confused. Not sure if I could meet prince charming this way 😛
January 18 2015: Same asian gent! Different flannel, on his phone again, glasses slipping off his nose, approaching ‘Eyes front!’. Doesn’t look at me, puts down phone, keeps walking.
January 19 2015: The asian gent, crossing the street, headed towards me, on his phone, ‘Look up’, he puts phone down, looks at me, and keeps going, I stop after I cross and I see him put his phone in his bag and keep walking.
Preconditioning? Who knows but perhaps my drill sergeant themed verbal treatment of this annoying habit brought someone back to life, to live life, experience all the faces and energy passing?
-B
