What happens when you press the elevator button twice?

Ok, be honest. Have you ever pressed an elevator button in succession within a short span of time or have ever pressed it even if it had already been pressed by somebody else? Well, welcome to the club.

To reiterate my question, what exactly happens when you press an elevator button twice or thrice?

Absolutely nothing!

The elevator does not come twice as fast if you press it two times. It's oblivious to your impatience. It comes when it comes. Like a boss.

Interestingly, we all knows this. Most of us at least, I'm hoping. I'm saying this because I once did see a great soul in our office punching the button non-stop. So much so I was worried he might even break it. I lost a little bit of faith in humanity right there.

Just kidding, of course. But really, why is your brain making you do something that it knows is irrational. What mystical power is at play here?

Turns out it's a mix of restlessness and our natural tendency to believe that more effort=better results!! Lets break it down -

1) You press it because it feels good to do something other than waiting. Psychologically, it works because your brain is more satisfied to know that something is being done to bring about an effect. The elevator doesn't come any faster but you are deluded you into thinking that's the case anyway. And inaction is something that your mind is averse to, especially when you are in a hurry.

2) You press the button and are waiting, then somebody comes along and presses it once more. How many times have you seen this happen? Countless? As astounding as it might sound, your brain doesn't want to accept the fact that the elevator will come without your intervention.

The best response you can give when somebody does this is, "Thanks! You pressed it a lot better than what I did." :)

3) You like the feel of buttons on your fingers. Seriously?


And yea, the next time your internet connection is slow and web pages do not seem to load, don't open more tabs!

Why are we always racing in our lives?

Picture this.

If you've ever traveled in an Indian airplane, you would have seen this already. The plane arrives at your destination, and as soon as you're given clearance to rise from your seats, that's exactly what you do! Or to be more precise, what everyone does at the exact same time. Why is this weird? Because in the grand scheme of things, it makes absolutely no sense at all.

You are not gaining anything by rising along with all the others. The airplane would only have one or two exits and people usually go out in a single file. So you just stand there in the aisle holding your luggage waiting for the people to move; you probably would even curse them for being such insufferable tortoises. The smart ones on the other hand would just stay in their seats, smirking at the fact even if you were to go out first, you would still be hauled in a bus to take you to the main terminal. Or that you would still have to wait at the baggage claim with everybody else. Your baggage will not pop out first just because you've exited the plane first! Ergo, unless you've got an escaped convict on the run or are reuniting with a long lost lover/family member -  irrespective of what your instincts might tell you to do, it's best to wait till the people closer to the exit have left first.

In fact, this predilection to be ever on the run has been so ingrained in our consciousness that it's unwittingly become part of our DNA now. You see this every where - buses, trains, movie theatres (we have got to walk out of the theater as soon as you see the credits rolling), and of course while driving on the road, which for Indians is a perpetual race. It's almost as if there's someone waiting with a waving flag at an imaginary finish line to crown you the Grand Prix champion! 

I guess the sole reason for this behavior is that we're brainwashed from the beginning to be ahead of everyone. This gets ingrained, in subtle ways, little by little - and by the end, eclipses our thought process so much that we race even without knowing what exactly we're racing for! So just lay back, relax, and know that it pays to hold your horses once in a while!