More British passengers died on the Titanic because they queued politely for lifeboat

College Life
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<p>From a BBC NEWS article: </p>

<p>A behavioural economist says data suggests Britons in that era were more inclined to be “gentlemanly” while Americans were more “individualist”. </p>

<p>Women with children had a 70% better chance of survival than men in such an environment, he told the BBC. </p>

<p>The Titanic sank during its maiden voyage in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, with the loss of 1,500 lives. </p>

<p>David Savage, from Queenland University of Technology, studied the disaster to look at how people react in life and death situations. </p>

<p>He said that in testimonies from inquiries in America and Britain just after the event, there were a lot of statements from women saying their husbands put them on lifeboats.</p>

<p>They then “went to the back of the boat to have a cigar, to stand around and be chummy, while basically the boat went down.” </p>

<p>Mr Savage said: “There was one gentleman who was rather wealthy… who went back downstairs after he put his wife on the [life] boat… put on his tuxedo…went back upstairs and smoked… with the idea that if I am going die, I may as well die as a gentleman and well-dressed.” </p>

<p>The “unsinkable” ocean liner went down in freezing Atlantic waters during its voyage from Southampton to New York. As it sank, the captain, Edward John Smith, shouted: “Be British, boys, be British,” according to witnesses. </p>

<p>“The American culture was set up to be a more individualist culture and the British culture was more about the gentlemanly behaviour,” Mr Savage says. </p>

<p>“You’ve got to remember that this is the Edwardian period when to be a gentleman was the peak of society.” </p>

<p>Mr Savage also concludes that social norms such as “women and children first” were very strong in British culture and survived in such an environment. </p>

<p>[BBC</a> NEWS | Americas | ‘Polite’ Britons died on Titanic](<a href=“http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7843154.stm]BBC”>BBC NEWS | Americas | 'Polite' Britons died on Titanic)</p>

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<p>Why did that selfish Rose hog the whole damn door while poor Jack Dawson froze to death? he should have laid flat on top of her, and their body heat would have kept them warm enough to survive. god that makes me mad everytime I see that movie. </p>

<p>haha yeah I can see British men trying to keep a stiff upper lip while other Europeans and North Americans frantically run around trying to get on a lifeboat.</p>

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<p>I guess he didn’t do that in order to protect her “chastity”. Probably another “Edwardian” virtue of that era. :P</p>

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<p>Nahhh he was American and from Minnesota :smiley: if he could indulge her in public spitting <em>gasp</em> and pre-marital sex <em>double gasp</em> he could lay on top of her dammit! or under if she wanted to be on top…</p>

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<p>I remember asking myself that the first couple of times I saw the movie. But, then I noticed that Jack tried to climb on with Rose and door flipped over and started sinking, so only she stayed on it.</p>

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<p>That is true PlattsburghLoser. But of course they could have taken turns about who sits on it. </p>

<p>I Guess this is what Warren Farrell means by male disposability.</p>