This morning on Train of Thought, we lace up our metaphorical walking shoes and wade into one of urban life’s significant moral gray areas: When I pass a slow walker… am I efficient — or am I a monster?
If you’ve ever felt a mix of triumph and shame while weaving around someone chewing loudly in front of you at 8:37 a.m., this episode is for you. It’s a brisk stroll through the unspoken ethics of pedestrian navigation — and what those little sidewalk decisions say about how we move through the world.
We start with the scene we all know too well: You’re late, focused, channeling the spirit of a commuter gazelle — and then… obstacle. A slow walker. A human Roomba. A full-body test of your patience and moral fiber.
Is it rude to overtake them? Is it selfish to need space and speed? Or are you simply responding to the chaos of modern life with a bit of assertiveness in sneakers?
In classic Train of Thought fashion, we bring in the philosophers (Hobbes, mostly), the city dwellers, and the deeply relatable inner voice that says, “Did I just brush that person’s elbow too hard?”
But this episode isn’t just about sidewalk etiquette. It’s about space. Time. Tempo. And how we respond when someone — even a stranger — disrupts our carefully choreographed day.
With warmth, wit, and just enough existential guilt to keep things interesting, the episode invites you to rethink the sidewalk overtake as more than just an urban maneuver — maybe even as a moment of grace. Or at least a moment to breathe before the next corner.
Coming tomorrow: “Have Group Chats Replaced the Afterlife?”
Spoiler: Heaven might be the pinned message you never read.
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