Why Giving Up Your MRT Seat Feels Moral
- euan2853
- Oct 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 16
Anyone who has taken the MRT during peak hour knows the small dramas that play out around reserved seating. A young commuter stares at their phone, pretending not to notice an older passenger standing nearby. Another glances up nervously, debating whether to give up their seat. Sometimes the tension is broken when someone stands quickly and offers the space. Other times, silence stretches, and the elderly person sways unsteadily as the train jerks forward.
Why does this moment feel so morally charged? It isn’t just about comfort. In Singapore, where efficiency often prevails, the MRT becomes a place where everyday values are put to the test. Giving up a seat may cost us only a little convenience, but it signals something larger: whether we recognise the dignity of others in our shared public life. It reflects respect for elders, patience in crowded spaces, empathy for those struggling with mobility, and a willingness to prioritise collective well-being over individual ease. Small acts, such as offering a seat, waiting your turn, or holding the door, become quiet measures of the values we live by.
Kant’s philosophy helps explain why this matters. He argued that we should act from principle, not just convenience or fear of being judged. If everyone kept their seat whenever tired, reserved seating would lose its purpose entirely. More importantly, ignoring someone in need reduces them to an obstacle to our comfort, rather than respecting them as a fellow human being.
Of course, most commuters don’t consciously think in philosophical terms. They weigh quick calculations: I’ve had a long day. Someone else will stand up. The journey is short. But when a person rises and offers their seat, it cuts through this hesitation. The gesture says: Your well-being matters enough for me to set aside my comfort.
On the MRT, we often act out of habit or fear of shame. Kant challenges us to look deeper: am I giving up my seat because others are watching, or because I recognise a duty to respect humanity in others? True morality lies not in appearances, but in acting from principle.
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