Standing Ovations

Standing ovations can be a great way to show your appreciation of a speech or performance, especially since you can only rapidly smack your hands together so hard without hurting yourself.  However, the nature of standing ovations can result in very difficult and awkward situations.

Once I was listening to a speech in a fairly large auditorium.  The entire speech was emotionally involved, and I could tell many people were getting into it.  I felt that the speech overall was particularly boring, and that the content was more of a pity story than an inspiring tale.  At the end, the crowd erupted in applause, and everyone around me stood up.  Since I didn’t particularly agree with the topic or feel that the speech was particularly well-delivered, I stayed seated.  The applause seemed to last an inordinate amount of time, and all the while I was considering whether I should’ve just stood up.

I think standing ovations are caused more by peer-pressure and social tendencies than genuine appreciation of the speech or performance.  Once a few people stand up, the weak-minded people who feel awkward not standing join in.  Each time more people stand, it passes the point where someone else feels awkward not standing, causing a spontaneous reaction until everyone is standing.  In the same way in which a piece of paper burns upon contact with a lit match, the wave of people rising out of their seats is almost inevitable after the first few people begin the action.  Resisting participating in a standing ovation can be very difficult, especially since you cannot see anyone else who shares your point of view.

I guess the moral of the story is to stand up for what you believe in.