# People are sheep? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115 "2007-05-15T00:18:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/41 "2007-05-16T23:34:04Z")
[QUOTE=niblet\_head] No me, bub. Of course, I don’t care where the hell I sit on a Southwest flight, so I just sit all comfy in my chair and do my crossword until the very last of the line sheep are boarding. Then I get up and board, regardless of what group I’m in. Seems so stupid to stand for an hour (or more!) when you could be sitting. But sheeple have to join a line if a line exists to be joined. [/QUOTE] The thing that’s always seemed so strange to me is that people line up way early even on flights where there are assigned seats. I just don’t get it. Why would you want to wait in line just to get the pleasure of spending extra time in a cramped airplane seat? One time, this really paid off for me. I was waiting to fly from Fargo to Minneapolis, and finally stood up to board when there were just a few people left. When there were just three of us left in line, the employee taking our tickets stopped for a minute, then went to the phone and listened for a few seconds. She then announced to us, and the plane, that we had been delayed by high winds, and would not take off for another 60 minutes at the earliest. Everyone who had already boarded had to stay on board. I and the other two people who hadn’t yet gone in went to the bar, while everyone else waited on the plane. Suckers! ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/42 "2007-05-17T01:16:27Z")
**Lightray** , I still believe that being a third level sheep is better than being a second level sheep. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/43 "2007-05-17T01:52:10Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] Computers. People don’t look at the screens. I don’t understand it, but people so “zero in” on what they know that they ignore what is… well, visible. A typical exchange… _I’m in Windows Explorer, with “Folders” view turned on. To those of you who don’t use WE on XP, it’s a whopping big icon that typically shows up in the top-center of the screen (depending upon settings, of course)._ “Hey, I like how you have all your folders displayed out there like that. How’d you do that?” “I clicked this button.” “Wow! I’ve never noticed that before.” _Whereupon, Mr. Sheeple will go back to their computer and revel in his newfound power, all the while never looking at the **other** icons and menu selections._ :rolleyes: The amount of people who don’t know about right-clicking astounds me. Didn’t they even ask themselves “what does this do?”? [/QUOTE] I don’t understand what you’re talking about. What’s “‘Folders’ view?” Since when does anything at all typically show up at the top center of my screen, much less a “whopping big icon?” What does any of this have to do with right clicking? Please preface your reply with the following: “MOOOVE.” -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/44 "2007-05-17T01:52:35Z")
Ah, it’s a 2007 style sheep ray! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/45 "2007-05-17T11:48:41Z")
[QUOTE=Potato Pancakes] I always think about the silly behavior when we have a potluck here at work, and people gather around staring at the food waiting for some authority to tell them to dig in. Now I’m alway first in line for food. What, am I going to wait for everyone to hold hands and pray? I’m hungry, and someone has to be first. [/QUOTE] I did this at a church supper once when I was a teenager. When my mom reprimanded me, I said loudly, “But Mom! You always said I should try to be a leader, not a follower!” Everybody laughed and I got to eat! ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/46 "2007-05-17T12:34:32Z")
[QUOTE=Agonist] [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=152737) is very entertaining, and goes into quite a nice discussion about sheeple. [/QUOTE] Wow, that’s some good readin. Since planes have been brought up, that is one situation where I try to buck the herd mentality. On every plane I’ve been on, when it arrives at the destination gate, everyone sits there and stares at the fasten seatbelt sign. As soon as it shuts off, everyone stands up. But, then nothing happens. The people at the front of the plane have to stand up, get their stuff out of the overhead compartment and exit the plane before there’s room for the people behind them to get out in the aisle, retrieve their stuff and get off the plane. If you’re seated towards the back of the plane, it can be quite awhile before there’s room in the aisle. As a bonus for me, I’m too tall to comfortably stand in front of my seat. So, I just remain seated until the aisle clears up and it’s my turn to leave. This does tend to upset the herd. Especially the cattle that I may be trapping if I’m in the aisle seat. But, I’m not going to stand there half slumped over waiting, when it’s much more comfortable to sit and wait. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/47 "2007-05-17T13:35:54Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] The thing that’s always seemed so strange to me is that people line up way early even on flights where there are assigned seats. I just don’t get it. Why would you want to wait in line just to get the pleasure of spending extra time in a cramped airplane seat? [/QUOTE] The problem is the limited overhead bin space. If you board too late, you’ll get your seat, of course, and whatever space is under the seat in front of you, but the overhead bins might be full. Also, I like to board early, buckle in and go to sleep, often not waking up until the beverage service begins. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/48 "2007-05-17T14:23:57Z")
[QUOTE=brewha] Wow, that’s some good readin. Since planes have been brought up, that is one situation where I try to buck the herd mentality. On every plane I’ve been on, when it arrives at the destination gate, everyone sits there and stares at the fasten seatbelt sign. As soon as it shuts off, everyone stands up. But, then nothing happens. The people at the front of the plane have to stand up, get their stuff out of the overhead compartment and exit the plane before there’s room for the people behind them to get out in the aisle, retrieve their stuff and get off the plane. If you’re seated towards the back of the plane, it can be quite awhile before there’s room in the aisle. As a bonus for me, I’m too tall to comfortably stand in front of my seat. So, I just remain seated until the aisle clears up and it’s my turn to leave. This does tend to upset the herd. Especially the cattle that I may be trapping if I’m in the aisle seat. But, I’m not going to stand there half slumped over waiting, when it’s much more comfortable to sit and wait. [/QUOTE] Same here. I just read my book til almost everyone else is off. Then I can gather my stuff and get off the plane comfortably, at my leisure. Of course, this is parasitic behavior on my part. If everybody tried this, no one would get off the plane, ever. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/49 "2007-05-17T17:20:35Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] The problem is the limited overhead bin space. If you board too late, you’ll get your seat, of course, and whatever space is under the seat in front of you, but the overhead bins might be full. Also, I like to board early, buckle in and go to sleep, often not waking up until the beverage service begins. [/QUOTE] I’ve never had that problem, although I occasionally have to repack the bin. One time I got scolded by an annoying idiot near me who had managed to place a little daypack in the front of the bin across nearly half of it. “Excuse _me_, sir, that’s my bag.” “Yes, I know. I’m repacking it so that my bag will fit as well.” ETA: I travel quite light, usually, so under my seat is often enough space. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/50 "2007-05-17T18:54:56Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] “Excuse _me_, sir, that’s my bag.” [/QUOTE] What, did he think you were going to grab it and go running like a purse snatcher from the plane? My god, man, that’s _brilliant_! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/51 "2007-05-17T19:40:42Z")
This aspect of human behavior is what makes that first tripod scene in Spielberg’s _War of the Worlds_ completely believable, to me. Some folks say that people wouldn’t crowd around like sheep and gaze into a smoking pit which had just collapsed in on itself, but they most certainly would. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/52 "2007-05-20T15:35:31Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] Computers. People don’t look at the screens. I don’t understand it, but people so “zero in” on what they know that they ignore what is… well, visible. A typical exchange… _I’m in Windows Explorer, with “Folders” view turned on. To those of you who don’t use WE on XP, it’s a whopping big icon that typically shows up in the top-center of the screen (depending upon settings, of course)._ “Hey, I like how you have all your folders displayed out there like that. How’d you do that?” “I clicked this button.” “Wow! I’ve never noticed that before.” _Whereupon, Mr. Sheeple will go back to their computer and revel in his newfound power, all the while never looking at the **other** icons and menu selections._ :rolleyes: The amount of people who don’t know about right-clicking astounds me. Didn’t they even ask themselves “what does this do?”? [/QUOTE] I’m still hoping for an explanation of this post. I can’t understand what **JohnT** is referring to. Since when do I have a whopping big icon, much less _anything at all_, showing up at the top center of my screen? And what does any of this have to do with right clicking? What is “folders view?” -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115/53 "2007-05-20T22:49:43Z")
hit WIndows + E. See that list of folders on the left? Thats folders view and it’s activated by the icon called folders on the top. Alternatively you can click my computer and hit the folders button. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-sheep/404115.md?page=2)