Yes, actually I think I understand now. It's not a question of causing harm or otherwise, but of playing by the rules (in this case unwritten ones). The rules impose a penalty (having to wait until the lights change and then cross the road) on anyone who presses the button because that discourages people from pressing buttons frivolously. Obviously, breaking rules annoys people, even if in a particular instance doing so causes no other harm.
Thank you for forcing me to think about this. I think I'm now a slightly better person than when I got up this morning.
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Yes, actually I think I understand now. It's not a question of causing harm or otherwise, but of playing by the rules (in this case unwritten ones). The rules impose a penalty (having to wait until the lights change and then cross the road) on anyone who presses the button because that discourages people from pressing buttons frivolously. Obviously, breaking rules annoys people, even if in a particular instance doing so causes no other harm.
Thank you for forcing me to think about this. I think I'm now a slightly better person than when I got up this morning.