How to avoid people the Costanza way.

As we get into yet another wave of uncertainty for the umpteenth time, to stave off the feeling of helplessness and fear, new strategies in our daily lives, whether they work or not, are in order.

Think about it. You are going through the motions of every day life. But there are pitfalls everywhere. And if you really think about it, without becoming excessively paranoid, the foils to our plans for the last two years has been other people. Not on purpose, I suppose, but because we are mostly fighting blindly, there are certain unknowns that need to be addressed somehow.

And then it hit me. The quote from the definitely-not-outdated-in-the-modern-world sitcom Seinfeld, the fountain of good ideas that is George Costanza. Do you remember the episode where he felt like everything decision he made was the wrong one? And then when he started doing the opposite, things turned out great for him? Well, I decided to take that idea and apply it to my own life.

“If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite, would have to be right.”

You see, because we are dealing with human beings who are on the whole social creatures, we can start to understand the common behaviors. The way people move. The way people act. And THEN do as George Costanza did… and do the opposite!

What I mean by that is, in my daily work life, I try to adjust what I do ever so slightly to scope out and try to improve my situation. But if I start thinking like the average human, with average wants and needs, I’ll inevitably get drawn into crowds, lines at the grocery store, crowded trains and worse.

For this end, my tools are twofold.

First I use the congestion radar from Yahoo. Using this as a guide, I can make sure that I don’t get into horrible crowds.

https://map.yahoo.co.jp/congestion

You see those blue dots on the screen? Those are probably malls or shopping centers that people go to every day.

But this is Japan! Land of conveniences. We are not forced to go to one place. With a little bit of planning and some luck, you can find a shop that sells exactly what you need in a place that definitely has less people.

Needless to say, I will not be going to Takashimaya for Valentines chocolates. But maybe I can find some in a convenience store a bit out of the way, an hour walk away from my house.

Secondly, when riding the train, there are certain seats (granted we haven’t fallen into the trap of entering a full train during peak commute time) is to choose the most uncomfortable seat. Right now, in winter, that seat is without a doubt the one next to the open window for ‘ventilation’. It’s cold, windy and perfect for airflow and lack of people… as long as you dress appropriately well.

There are many more ways of getting what we need and want without going through the hassle of getting stuck in crowds. My suggestion is to take on the Costanza way of life and do the opposite for some of them. Who knows, maybe you’ll get a job at the New York Yankees.