I often fly from London to LAX. When I fly to London, I have no problems sleeping through most of the flight. However, when I fly back I can’t sleep. Why? Its the same flight time-ish. For the most part I’m sitting in the same-ish area. But there’s always that one asshole. The one that leaves the shade up letting in the blaring sun for the full ten hour plus flight. Even if there are announcements overhead or through the in-flight entertainment saying to please close all shutters for the comfort of other passengers, there is always one that thinks it’ll be okay. If you think this, you are the asshole. And maybe I’m becoming a bit more British in my sensibilities, because now I just roll my eyes, sigh, and quietly stew in my anger. But don’t let the silence confuse you.

On the way home from LAX, my mind still at two AM while it’s eight PM local time, the lovely Katie and I conversed about our lives and how to move forward while not losing our humanity. I know—roll your eyes at me, but it’s a normal conversation topic that we have regularly. I kept coming back to the fucking asshole on my flight that kept the window shade open. I really think that the best way to not lose a since of humanity is to simply not be THE asshole. Sure, there are times when you need to be an asshole. If you are standing up for a personal belief, someone else, or you are not being treated fairly. These are excellent examples of when it’s okay. But if on the whole, society is going in a direction that is not yours don’t be the asshole. Plane? Shut the damn shutters as suggested. Driving? Don’t race around the cars that are going over the speed limit. Don’t wait until the last minute if you see that three lanes are going down to one, to actually merge over. Rights? Are you the only one fighting against certain human rights…

Come on, don’t be THE asshole.

Side note: there is a difference between being THE asshole and being just a general asshole.