You're just mad because you're stupid.

[Jackofalltrades]

I don't know if this belongs here so move if needed...

So my girlfriend jogged my memory last night about a little game I used to play when stuck with the dregs of society...the mall shoppers.

The mall in my hometown has a very large skylight in the exact middle of the building that is quite pretty to look at mid-day. I used to bring this up to people from time to time but all anyone gives a rat's a** about is where the latest bargain is.

Now onto the game...One day I was wandering the mall when my shoe came untied right under the skylight at midday on a Saturday. I bent down to tie my shoe when the light caught my eye and for some odd reason I decided to start staring straight up. And staring, and staring, and staring. Why do you ask? Just to see if people would wonder what I was looking at...That's all. I don't know why it popped into my head but I am weird like that.

Sure enough, after about 45-60 seconds of this at least 15-20 people are staring up with me wondering what I am looking at! At this point, I start to die a little inside knowing that people will do things just because everyone else is (sort of like forming a line for no apparent reason) and I begin to walk away with a smile on my face. Then a feel a hand on my shoulder and someone attempt to spin me around. I am now staring at a shrew of a woman with two shopping bags from the GAP. This is the exchange that occurred:

S: Shrew
Me: The little ray of sunshine that brightens all of your lives

S: So why were you looking up there?
Me: Just to see how many people I could get to do it with me. The skylight is really nice.
S: (Suddenly very indignant) Well you should be ashamed, making all of us look stupid and wasting our time!
Me: Don't blame me for making you look like an idiot. You did that yourself.

I turn, pop my headphones back in and crank up the metal as she gives me the cat-butt face and trudges away.

Yes I am evil. Yes I am weird. Yes I enjoy pointing out the stupidity in others. No I will not apologize for being me. Kthxbai

[AriRashkae]

Oooooooh, that is so much fun to do!

[JoitheArtist]

Heh. I'm the type who randomly stops and stares at things for no reason. I get really captivated by light and shadow, and can watch changing light for hours. People have learned not even to try to have conversations with me during sunset.

Though sometimes it comes in handy. I love the Getty museum in LA, particularly the Impressionist room(top floor, South Pavillion, I think,) and the old altarpieces (top floor, North pavilion). I will usually go for a quick tour around the room to see each painting up close, then just sit on the bench in the middle of the room and look at the paintings for an hour or so. Last time, this cool grandfatherly docent noticed, and struck up a conversation. He was cool.

[Gawdzillers]

So my girlfriend jogged my memory last night

Oh, baby.

[Ratha]

One of my aunts used to do that. XD She'd wait at the bus stop to and from work, and when she saw the bus down the street, she'd look up really intently and start pointing, and when the others at the stop would look up to see what it was, she'd jump on the bus as soon as it stopped and got the best seat before anyone else.

[Becks]

Next time I go out and about, I should try that.

[Polenicus]

S: So why were you looking up there?
Me: Just to see how many people I could get to do it with me. The skylight is really nice.
S: (Suddenly very indignant) Well you should be ashamed, making all of us look stupid and wasting our time!
Me: Don't blame me for making you look like an idiot. You did that yourself.

Did she demand to know where you worked so she could report you to your supervisor?

... I dunno, it just seems odd to encounter someone like this and NOT get a 'I demand to speak to your manager/store owner/corporate!', no matter how nonsensical that demand is.

I guess I've been reading posts on this site too long.

[digilight]

hehehe harnessing the sheeple mentality, I like it.

[blas]

Oh my gosh, that is too funny.

I am definetly going to do that at work. Except I will have to stare at the floor or just the ceiling. No skylights. They don't even let us have windows

[Anakah]

Or next time get all crazed and ask how she missed seeing the mother ship. But yeah that is awesome. Though had someone touched me like that I would be mad. I have a very big personal space bubble. I bet my hubbie would love to try that lol

[Mike Taylor]

hehehe harnessing the sheeple mentality, I like it.

Allen Funt and Candid Camera did it for decades.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Hahahahaha that's awesome and evil and manipulative and I heartily approve!

Dear god, I wanna do that to someone now.

[JLRodgers]

It's the neatest psychological principal.... I think it was said people do it so they don't stick out (because sticking out means there's something wrong with you and the others should kill you or something like in other animals).

Back in a psyc class once, the teacher told a student to look out the window. Within 5-10 seconds more and more people were looking outside. Eventually i was the only one not looking outside..... I thought I was surrounded by pod people... it was a very unsettling feeling. I glanced out, saw nothing and returned to what I was doing - the teacher just laughed and got the students to look back to the front. Apparently my reaction was odd.


Few years later when I was bored sitting at a fall festival, I mentioned that to other people. I said "watch" and pointed to the sky while sitting down, the person next to me pointed and whispered "there's nothing there".... 15-30 seconds later about 50-75 people were looking into the sky, cameras snapping, and videos recording -- I was doubled over laughing.... took I think minutes before people stopped watching "it". Although we did discover a magical moving dust-bunny on the camera lens of a recording.

[Mr Hero]

Sure enough, after about 45-60 seconds of this at least 15-20 people are staring up with me wondering what I am looking at! At this point, I start to die a little inside knowing that people will do things just because everyone else is (sort of like forming a line for no apparent reason) and I begin to walk away with a smile on my face. Then a feel a hand on my shoulder and someone attempt to spin me around. I am now staring at a shrew of a woman with two shopping bags fro the GAP. This is the exchange that occurred:

I approve 100%. This has even given me the idea to try something similar. You need to get a few friends to help you. You form a line that has no purpose. See how many people you can get in line after you.

[Akasa]

There was one xmas holiday season where myself and 2 friends were shopping and decided to change the mall music ourselves. We each took a part and had "In the Jungle" going. We wound up with something like 20 people singing along. It was great!