What Would You Do?

ABC News is doing a limited series called "What Would You Do?" - a hidden camera type of show where they put people in questionable social situations to see how they will act. Literally, what will they do when put into a situation when there's "no one watching".

I'm thoroughly amazed by what I'm witnessing on this show. And what amazes me the most isn't the fact that people do the right thing sometimes - I have great faith in human beings - but in the justifications the people use when they DON'T do the right thing!

You can watch some of the snippets here: abcnews.go.com/Primetime/WhatWouldYouDo. I highly suggest you watch some! I won't go into too much detail as to the actual responses they have recorded, in case you haven't seen these yet and want to watch them. What I will do is pose some of the situations to you - to get you thinking. And, hopefully, talking. But, most importantly, DOING THE RIGHT THING!

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1) What would you do if you witnessed a different type of "terrorist" attack? Specifically, a form of "Islamophobia" where a woman is denied service in a restaurant based on the fact that she is a practicing Muslim (knowledge based solely on her clothes).
I have to admit that I would like to do the right thing and stand up for her. But, I don't know that I would. I'm sort of a coward in real life. I know I wouldn't stand up for the shopkeeper, I'd leave without buying anything and I would never step foot in the store ever again. I just don't know if I could personally stand up for her verbally out of fear for myself. I could probalby wrangle a little passive aggressive maneuver - maybe a call to the health department to report a "rat behind the counter "- then offer to buy her lunch at another "BETTER" place. :)

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2) What would you do if you witnessed your friend's significant other cheating? Would it matter if they were just dating? Engaged? MARRIED?
Seriously, having been on the flip side of this I would do the right thing. And I have! I've also done the wrong thing in the past. We'll leave it at that (some of you know the whole story here but I'd rather not share it with the world if you don't mind).

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3) Would you step in between a couple fighting in public if it got physical? What if it was the woman hitting the man? Would it matter if they were of mixed races - a black man with a white woman? What about a white man with a black woman? Would you wait until it got physical to step in or would you step in if it was just verbal abuse?
I would definitely step in on this; the extenet would depend on my own personal safety. If I honestly thought I would be hurt in the situation and therefore no good to the victim, I wouldn't step in personally, but would call the cops or look for a large man in the vicinity to assist me - perferably one larger than the attacker. There is safety in numbers after all! But I couldn't just walk on by - again having been on the other side!

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4) Would you speak up to a bad driver? One who damaged someone else's car and walked off? What if it was someone who "stole" a handicapped parking space?
I think would definitely speak up if there was visible damage done and there was no doubt of fault. Assuming it's not a really big scary guy - then I would just quietly do something about it (very passive aggressive approach, but not necessarily any less effective). I have spoken up to people taking handicapped spaces. Now that my mom actually HAS her tag for this, I'm even more in tune to this infraction. When I'm out with her, I'd love to carry around really large stickers that say "RUDENESS ISN'T A HANDICAP - FIND A REAL PARKING SPACE NEXT TIME" and then put them directly over the driver's side windshield - massively sticky stickers that you can't pull off easily - especially when it's cold outside. I know - passive evil is still evil but it still sounds fair to me sometimes! :)

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5) Could you be the "good Samaritan"? Based on the parable Jesus told of the Good Samaritan helping the beaten man on the side of the road. If you saw a man in the park or somewhere you're walking, and he's crying, definitely upset, with torn clothes and no shoes - WOULD YOU HELP HIM? Would it matter if he was white or if he was African-American? Would it matter if he was older (think grandfatherly) or younger (college-aged)? What if it was a woman - any woman?
The answer for me all the way around is YES. YES. and YES. If someone is obviously in trouble or need, I will step in! If I can't do it myself (again, that personal hurt thing) I will ask someone else to help me, like a bigger guy or a cop. But I won't leave a troubled person to themselves if there's anything at all I can do.

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6) Would you help a young boy getting beat up in the park by other young boys his age? What if it was girls? What if the abuse was only verbal?
This would be a harder call for me. Kids aren't as easily reasoned with as many adults. And they can be more volatile, especially in a "pack". Kids scare me more than adults - how weird is that? Especially a pack of girls. Maybe it's having been the "victim" of verbal attacks myself, I hate to get into altercations of that kind. But, I don't think I could just pass by altogether - if I couldn't say something myself, I'd find someone stronger than me [that's mentally/emotionally stronger in this case] to help out.

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7) Could you handle someone flirting with your significant other in public? Like a waiter/waitress?
Wow. No, I couldn't handle this too well - I get jealous REALLY easy. But, it would depend on how Joe would handle it to determine what I would actually do. If he was laughing it off and making it obvious he was with me, I would laugh with him at the patheticness of the gal. If he's being laid back/quiet about it, and laughing more at ME being jealous, I'd squash it - and fast! But, calmly. I'd suggest the woman find another guy to hit on, as my HUSBAND is definitely taken.

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8) Would you call out your boss for taking credit for your work or idea? What if you found out he did it by using some underhanded means of your own (like reading his email or swiping his Blackberry)?
I wouldn't necessarily call him out on it, but I wouldn't give my ideas directly to him anymore - or at least not solely to him. I'd copy others on the same level or co-workers on my level at least. Of course, Neal would never ever do this, right, so nothing to ever fear. ;)

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That's it for now. I'd love to know your thoughts. Feel free to post in the comments or add these 8 questions to your own blog with your ideas/reasoning. Sort of like a "getting to know your friends" email, but with more social significance and psychological insight than "what are your favorite pajamas?" (not that I don't love those emails - and knowing you like boxer shorts and a t-shirt over a full set of pajamas or a nightgown could be useful at some point - like for a Christmas present!).