Isn't there a name for this?

[conuly]

When government works, we are surprised. It has been ingrained in our psyche that public services are useless at best. But I've got a story that could make even an anarchist cheer. At the corner of 33rd and Broadway in Astoria, a smell developed. A rank mixture of fish heads and rotten fruit and used oil. The culprit was obvious: a sewer grate had backed up, and a cesspool of bubbling waste, emitting fumes, sat for days. I noticed the smell buildup on a Friday. By Tuesday, my roommate and I just couldn't take it anymore. We were sitting on our front stoop, waiting for a ride. We had time to kill.

So my roommate called 311 as a joke, to see how long it would take to talk to a human, let alone report the problem to someone in charge of rank sewage smells. Three minutes later he was off the phone. He looked at me and shrugged, saying, "I was the first one to call it in."

"After five days?" I asked, aghast. We couldn't believe the multitudes of people holding their nose wouldn't bother to call the city. But as I said, no one believes government works.

Well, even before our ride showed, there came a large truck, flashing lights, barreling down Broadway. It stopped at 33rd, and two men jumped out ready to send those nauseating fumes down the well. Unbelievable, to say the least.

http://nytimes.com/2004/09/20/nyregion/20diary.html

Where nobody takes action because they think somebody else will?

Comments

[xmorningxrosex.livejournal.com]

bystander effect?

[conuly]

Yes, yes, I know. I was trying to avoid saying it, because saying "this is called the bystander effect" lacks that special something.

[xmorningxrosex.livejournal.com]

ahhh!

You shouldn't try to trick me like that when I'm sleepy! :P

[conuly]

Sorry, ducky. *glances at clock*

WHee! Time to run!

Hmmm

[neurotica0.livejournal.com]

I think this is different than the bystander effect though, because no one did anything because they thought nothing would happen, not because they were basing how they should react off of those around them.

Re: Hmmm

[conuly]

But you don't know why they didn't do anything. You just know why that person thinks they didn't do anything.

Re: Hmmm

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I would probably have assumed that the person who lived closer to the mess would have phoned it in. I guess when it comes to something like that, I'm all for the bystander effect.. It's easier on me if someone tells me what to do. ^_~

[joeymew.livejournal.com]

I lost some good bubble bath in New Hampshire because of that. I assumed my sister was going to put it in her bag, so I never checked. She assumed I was taking it in my bag, so she never checked. Goodbye nice bubblebath.

[xmorningxrosex.livejournal.com]

bystander effect?

[conuly]

Yes, yes, I know. I was trying to avoid saying it, because saying "this is called the bystander effect" lacks that special something.

[xmorningxrosex.livejournal.com]

ahhh!

You shouldn't try to trick me like that when I'm sleepy! :P

[conuly]

Sorry, ducky. *glances at clock*

WHee! Time to run!

Hmmm

[neurotica0.livejournal.com]

I think this is different than the bystander effect though, because no one did anything because they thought nothing would happen, not because they were basing how they should react off of those around them.

Re: Hmmm

[conuly]

But you don't know why they didn't do anything. You just know why that person thinks they didn't do anything.

Re: Hmmm

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I would probably have assumed that the person who lived closer to the mess would have phoned it in. I guess when it comes to something like that, I'm all for the bystander effect.. It's easier on me if someone tells me what to do. ^_~

[joeymew.livejournal.com]

I lost some good bubble bath in New Hampshire because of that. I assumed my sister was going to put it in her bag, so I never checked. She assumed I was taking it in my bag, so she never checked. Goodbye nice bubblebath.