Disgusting Behavior

They say the world is a man's toilet but that was probably said in jest. Some people however, take it very seriously.
I have often noticed the unsightly, unhygienic and disgusting behavior displayed by some of these people. They show a blatant disregard for what society frowns upon as bad habits - picking their noses, scraping their toe nails, and digging their ears, just to name a few. Despite the tsk-tsks or disgusted looks of those in the vicinity, these people either do not get the hint or are plain ignorant.

In a civilized society like in Singapore, you would not expect such despicable behavior to occur. It is the kind of behavior you would expect in small, secluded, rural towns in third world countries. Given there may have been similar behavior in the big cities of developing countries, but that is because they are in the process of development and the people just have not been up to speed. In a developed country such as Singapore's, it is not only expected that the people are up to speed, but it is also a requirement for survival. Yet sadly, these country bumpkin acts still occur.

I was commuting to work this morning on a public bus and noticed this man in his early 50s sitting 2 seats away from me. As soon as he sat down, he started pulling out strands of his beard. He would pull it out with a pair of tweezers, then flick it onto the floor. This cycle continued throughout the 1 hour journey. I took a short nap and when I awoke, he was still at it. I shot him a look a disgust every now and then, but the response I would get is a nonchalent, blank look. I didn't even want to bother telling him off as it probably wouldn't work.

So how can we properly and effectively educate them? I guess you could only point out that it is down to upbringing. You may argue that the majority of these offenders are more senior in age. However, that is not completely true and whoever makes that statement would be making a hasty generalization. I have witnessed even the younger people displaying such disgusting behavior. Clearly, an effort has to be made by the respective caretakers and educators to ensure such behavior does not become a habit.