Rituals
People develop tactics such as routines and rituals to give themselves the illusion of control
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Tags: experience, psychology
Illusion of Control
Mythologizing
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Tags: experience, psychology
Many passengers develop pre- or during-flight routines, ranging from fairly conventional to truly idiosyncratic. These routines may be practical, such as having a pre-planned list of items to pack. Others may be less so, such as elaborate multi-step rituals that help distract passengers from their anxieties surrounding flying [1].
“Clean everything you touch. Anything that you put your hands on, you have to wipe. This is what I do on every plane I get on. I do not care what people think of me. It's my health, and it makes me feel better." [2]
“I don’t know how he does it, but my friend always convinces the flight attendants to let him keep his tray table open during take-off. Then he puts a framed painting of Virgin Mary on a tiny stand, opens a Bible to some marked passage, says a little prayer, and then downs Xanax pills with two champagnes.”
“I look for the first people I can spot on the ground as we land - it’s like a little mental game.”
“Clean everything you touch. Anything that you put your hands on, you have to wipe. This is what I do on every plane I get on. I do not care what people think of me. It's my health, and it makes me feel better." [2]
“I don’t know how he does it, but my friend always convinces the flight attendants to let him keep his tray table open during take-off. Then he puts a framed painting of Virgin Mary on a tiny stand, opens a Bible to some marked passage, says a little prayer, and then downs Xanax pills with two champagnes.”
“I look for the first people I can spot on the ground as we land - it’s like a little mental game.”
“I always buy three magazines in the airport in preparation - usually Automobile, Dwell, Yachting, and maybe Auto Trend. They always some sort of lifestyle component to them - like fancy cars, fancy houses, and yachts, and they make me forget that I’m flying. The photos make it easy to escape the present reality.”
“Flying is weird for me. I always try to sit near the front, so that I can’t see the vastness of the plane. I kind of freak out when I realize how many people are on it. I usually hyperventilate at some point during the flight - kind of to myself, so no one else notices.”
“Always step onto the plane with the right foot for luck - everybody knows that!”
“I have a pretty extensive Excel sheet with a packing list, organized by seasons. I have it down to a science now. I don’t really have to think about it - just open the spreadsheet and go.”
“When I was young, I used to recite a Shakespeare sonnet in my mind during take off. It’s like a race. Once the plane starts moving, I start and then try to race to finish it before the plane leaves the ground. It’s like a way of measuring the amount of time it takes for the plane to take off.”
“I have a pretty extensive Excel sheet with a packing list, organized by seasons. I have it down to a science now. I don’t really have to think about it - just open the spreadsheet and go.”
- Anonymous (multiple). interview by Song, H., Boston, July 22, 2019.
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Rosen, Samantha. “Naomi Campbell's Preflight Routine Is Totally Insane.” The Points Guy. The Points Guy, July 24, 2019.