People-Watching at 35,000 Feet: What Your In-Flight Movie Says About You
Airplanes are weird, right? It's like you're stuck in a flying box with a bunch of strangers, each living in their own little world. On my latest flight, I was all set to crank out some work on my laptop, but alas, the Delta Wi-Fi had other plans. So, instead, I became a professional people-watcher.
To Watch or Not To Watch
Let's start with my husband. He's sitting next to me, and I eyeroll/smirk at his first selection which is "Encanto." He followed up with "Pulp Fiction." Yeah, talk about two different vibes. I had forgotten that Bruce Willis was in that movie (smile), and remembered how much I still throughly enjoy the dance scene between Uma Thurman and John Travolta. The rest of the movie can just go away IMO. Meanwhile, I'm wrestling with a Wi-Fi connection that refuses to cooperate. Not being a huge movie person, I had planned to be super productive but ended up getting a different kind of education.
The "Athletes" Off to a Wedding?
Then there's this group of four middle-aged guys. Just looking at them, you'd guess they played college football or something. My husband’s guess was that they were golfers, but I disagree. They're seated close by, and it sounds like they're heading to a wedding because they were transferring to another charter flight after we arrived. Second time's a charm? Or maybe it's for one of those friends who took his sweet time getting hitched.
The Man, The Myth, The Wall Street Journal
Now, let's talk about Mr. Wall Street Journal in front of me. I don’t see too many people reading actual newspapers anymore. Plus, all of his buddies were deep into their digital devices. Now, don’t get me wrong, print is alive and thriving- take it from someone who is knee-deep in the hoopla of print and digital marketing! He must be one of those guys who prefers a paper menu to a QR code option, which is interesting to me. This guy's got a full head of grey hair but also looks like he could bench press me. He starts by reading, then switches to watching "The Boogeyman." After about 30 minutes, he's had enough and moves on to "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," and then to some self-improvement video. What's going on in this guy's head? Seriously, I want to know.
Movie Buddies Across the Aisle
His friend across the aisle is a different story. He's totally hooked on "The Martian," playing on his laptop, while another buddy further down can't stop laughing at "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle." These guys are friends, but you wouldn't know it from their movie picks.
Do We Choose Movies for Ourselves or Others?
This got me thinking. When you pick a movie on a plane, do you ever wonder what the people around you will think? Do you go for the Oscar winner so you look smart or the latest comedy so you seem fun, or choose a documentary and plan to learn something new? Or do you just not care and watch what you want?
For me, I'm not much of a movie person, so I usually work or read. But watching everyone else made me realize we're all kinda the same but also so different. It's like a mini-society up in the sky, and each person's choice—whether it's a movie, a newspaper, or a failed attempt to connect to Wi-Fi—tells a little story about them.
So the next time you're up in the air, take a look around. You might learn something new, because Wi-Fi is a fickle friend.
Blog song of the day
As a super music enthusiast with a wide range of tastes, I want to end each post with a song of the day.
My song choice this week delivers a bit of a yacht rock vibe. While I don’t have any of the Alan Parsons Project songs on my current playlists, I’ll always leave this duo on when I hear it. “The biggest hit in the U.S. by The Alan Parsons Project almost never was released at all.”
I actually really love the instrumental lead-in, Sirius, which has become a staple of many college and professional sporting arenas throughout North America.
Be sure you check your inbox for a subscription confirmation email!
