不用排队 我们是印度人

A story I recently heard captures this well. In a busy airport, an airline check-in agent was trying to help a long queue of passengers. An important-looking man marched straight up to the counter and demanded to be served immediately because he had a flight to catch. The agent politely told him that all the people in line were waiting for the same flight so if he'd kindly stand in the queue, she'd be happy to help him. Angry, he asked her, 'Do you know who I am?!' The agent looked at him, then switched on the intercom and made an announcement: 'I have a gentleman here at the counter who does not know who he is. Could someone please help him?' This received roars of laughter from the passengers waiting in line. The man was furious and said to the agent through clenched teeth: 'F─ you!' She sweetly replied, 'You'll have to stand in line for that, too.'
我最近听到的一个段子是个不错的例子：在一座繁忙的机场，一位航班检票员正在为排成长队的乘客提供服务。一名看上去颇有地位的男子大步流星直奔柜台，要求立刻为他提供服务，因为他要赶一趟航班。女检票员礼貌地告诉他，所有排队的人都在等候同一趟航班，如果他回去排队，她将很乐意帮助他。男子听后很恼火地问，“你知道我是谁吗？！”检票员看看他，随后接通对讲机，发布了一则通告，“这边柜台有一位先生，他搞不清楚自己是谁，哪位能过来帮他一下吗？”一席话引来排队人群中的一阵大笑。男子恼羞成怒，咬牙切齿，嘴里蹦出F开头的四字经。检票员笑着答道，“这件事，您也要排队。”

Unfortunately, in India such egalitarian airline agents are mostly only found in joke, legend, and song. Often the self-important person gets away with it and for this, the service providers must also take the blame. I've had several experiences where store clerks have ignored the person standing in line in front of me and tried to serve me first, because I assume I looked higher up on the pecking order. I've had to again politely but firmly point out that they were in line before me.
遗憾的是，在印度，像这样奉行平等原则的检票员大多只出现在玩笑、传说和歌曲当中。多数情况下，妄自尊大的人总能获得成功──而提供服务的人也必须为此承担责任。我曾在商店里有过几次这样的经历──大概因为我看上去显得社会地位更高，店员并未理睬排在我身前的顾客，而打算先为我服务。我不得不再次礼貌而坚决地指出来，那些顾客排在我的前面。

Let's face it: In India, jumping the queue can indeed be a useful survival skill. However, as India's population continues to grow and resources become even more scarce, our ability to stand in a queue to await our turn whether on foot waiting for water, in a store waiting for service, or in a car waiting for the green light will not just grease the wheels of social interaction, it will allow products and services and traffic to flow more efficiently.
我们不得不承认，在印度，插队确实可以成为一项有用的生存技能。然而，在如今印度人口持续增长而资源越显紧缺的情况下，如果我们都能按顺序排队等待轮到自己──无论是站着排队接水，在商店等待服务还是在车里等候绿灯──将不仅能让社会互动顺利进行，还能使产品、服务和交通的流动更有效率。

It could also prevent queue rage, road rage, and one day, perhaps, even riots in the street. But we'll only consider standing in line if we see that there is some value in it. We need to see VIPs doing it, consistently and proudly, and taking only what is their due at their turn. And we need to see that by doing it ourselves, we'll receive our due at our turn whether that's a place in school, a job, a hospital bed, an airline ticket, or a burger.
这种习惯也可以预防排队和道路交通中暴躁情绪的滋生，甚或有一天，它还能让街上的骚乱销声匿迹。我们会考虑自觉排队，但只有当我们看到蕴含其中的价值时我们才会这样做。我们需要看到那些达官贵人只有通过排队才能得到他们应得的东西，看到他们坚持不懈而自豪地这样做。我们也同样需要这样，等待轮到自己的那一刻──无论是为一个入学资格，一份工作，一个医院床位，一张机票，还是为一个汉堡包。