Polite Britons Died on Titanic

Aliantha · 01-22-2009, 03:43 PM

More British passengers died on the Titanic because they queued politely for lifeboats, researchers believe.

Quote:

A behavioural economist says data suggests Britons in that era were more inclined to be "gentlemanly" while Americans were more "individualist".

Women with children had a 70% better chance of survival than men in such an environment, he told the BBC.

The Titanic sank during its maiden voyage in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, with the loss of 1,500 lives.

David Savage, from Queenland University of Technology, studied the disaster to look at how people react in life and death situations.

He said that in testimonies from inquiries in America and Britain just after the event, there were a lot of statements from women saying their husbands put them on lifeboats. They then "went to the back of the boat to have a cigar, to stand around and be chummy, while basically the boat went down."

Mr Savage said: "There was one gentleman who was rather wealthy... who went back downstairs after he put his wife on the [life] boat... put on his tuxedo...went back upstairs and smoked... with the idea that if I am going die, I may as well die as a gentleman and well-dressed."

So, for you Brits out there, this is what you get for being polite.

Dead.

classicman · 01-22-2009, 04:03 PM

Good! - and thats from one of the "rude Americans"

Shut up Dani & SG :-)

Aliantha · 01-22-2009, 04:05 PM

The guy that did this particular study is now in the process of studying other shipwrecks from then till now to see if the same sort of behaviour applies. It'll be interesting to see the results. I don't think they'll be as clear cut as we get to more recent times although according to SG and Dana, those Brits do still love to queue. lol

limey · 01-22-2009, 04:06 PM

So sorry ... excuse me!

Aliantha · 01-22-2009, 04:08 PM

glatt · 01-22-2009, 04:12 PM

And the sinking plane in the Hudson had pretty orderly passengers who lined up. So maybe the Americans have forgotten the fundamentals.

Pie · 01-22-2009, 04:38 PM

It's this whole Obama thing. We're all high on hope.

TheMercenary · 01-22-2009, 04:45 PM

The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

classicman · 01-22-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by limey

So sorry ... excuse me!

lol - shoulda prolly included you too.

footfootfoot · 01-22-2009, 09:45 PM

What do you get when you cross the Atlantic Ocean with the Titanic?

Halfway.

When you are finished with the joke I need to give it back to my kid.

Aliantha · 01-22-2009, 09:46 PM

lol...did they actually make it half way?

and tell your kid it was a pretty funny joke.

dar512 · 01-23-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

What do you get when you cross the Atlantic Ocean with the Titanic?

Halfway.

When you are finished with the joke I need to give it back to my kid.

Made me chuckle out loud, ft^3. I will tell it to my girls tonight so they can roll their eyes at me. (teenagers)

Radar · 01-23-2009, 02:34 PM

When the Irish and Americans live, and the English die, that's just Darwinism at it's best.

DanaC · 01-23-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

"There was one gentleman who was rather wealthy... who went back downstairs after he put his wife on the [life] boat... put on his tuxedo...went back upstairs and smoked... with the idea that if I am going die, I may as well die as a gentleman and well-dressed."

That's class in a glass.

Not to be picky...I realise this is just shits and giggles, but that isn't really about 'politeness', its about notions of gender roles and responsibilities. Get the women off the ship, and the children: not just your own children and wives. Save all of them if you can.

I realise it's a little skewed (the infantilised, domesticated wife etc) but that's still a brand of courage I can respect. Duty, not politeness. The man put his wife onto that boat and walked away so that another man's dependents might also be saved. He and all those other men did no differently than a militia man or soldier when they placed themselves in death's way to protect their wives and children and homes.

dar512 · 01-23-2009, 03:53 PM

Well said.

01-22-2009, 04:03 PM	#2
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Good! - and thats from one of the "rude Americans" Shut up Dani & SG :-) __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

01-22-2009, 04:05 PM	#3
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	The guy that did this particular study is now in the process of studying other shipwrecks from then till now to see if the same sort of behaviour applies. It'll be interesting to see the results. I don't think they'll be as clear cut as we get to more recent times although according to SG and Dana, those Brits do still love to queue. lol __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-22-2009, 04:06 PM	#4
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	So sorry ... excuse me! __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

01-22-2009, 04:08 PM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	__________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-22-2009, 04:38 PM	#7
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	It's this whole Obama thing. We're all high on hope. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

01-22-2009, 04:12 PM	#6
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	And the sinking plane in the Hudson had pretty orderly passengers who lined up. So maybe the Americans have forgotten the fundamentals.

01-22-2009, 04:45 PM	#8
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	The Unsinkable Molly Brown. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-22-2009, 09:45 PM	#10
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	What do you get when you cross the Atlantic Ocean with the Titanic? Halfway. When you are finished with the joke I need to give it back to my kid. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

01-22-2009, 09:46 PM	#11
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	lol...did they actually make it half way? and tell your kid it was a pretty funny joke. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-23-2009, 02:34 PM	#13
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	When the Irish and Americans live, and the English die, that's just Darwinism at it's best. __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

01-23-2009, 03:53 PM	#15
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Well said. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

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