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So yesterday, during lunch time, there were several people seated in the cafeteria and having their lunch. The cricket match was being played on the TV and the national anthem starts playing.

One by one, everyone started standing up for the anthem. I didn't... neither did any of the people at my table (probably because they didn't notice the others). Most of them were behind our backs.

It felt strange... People were standing whilst chewing on their food... and the ones who weren't felt compelled to do so seeing the others stand.

Now just like I wouldn't liked to be asked why I didn't stand for the anthem, I wouldn't ask them why they did. They are free to do whatever they want.

But it just didn't feel right. What do you guys think?

Is this normal for a workplace?

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    So ... why would it be not professional for people to respect their national anthem ?
    – Walfrat
    Jan 20, 2017 at 9:04
  • 17
    Depending which country you are in, it would be considered weird.
    – gnasher729
    Jan 20, 2017 at 9:07
  • 15
    This isn't AskReddit. At least formulate a general, answerable question instead of just copying a Reddit post.
    – Lilienthal ♦
    Jan 20, 2017 at 11:38
  • 3
    Possible duplicate of reddit.com/r/india/comments/5p1mz5/…
    – Brandin
    Jan 20, 2017 at 12:41
  • 4
    @Pharap Germany. The above situation would not fly in Germany. It’d be positively creepy.
    – Konrad Rudolph
    Jan 20, 2017 at 12:56

3 Answers 3

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This is culture dependent. Generally speaking, in your lunch break you can stand, sit, lie or jump all you want. Some people decided to stand. Good for them. In my culture, I don't have to participate in things "patriotic". I don't know about yours. But it's not different in a workplace lunch break situation than in any other spare time activity.

If you feel compelled to do anything "patriotic" or if you feel compelled to do as your peers do is really up to you. It's in your head only. There is no way a workplace can change something about it. It cannot tell people not to stand in the canteen and it surely cannot get into your head so you don't feel guilty not doing it.

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Is this normal for a workplace?

For a workplace, no, it's also not forbidden for such a thing to happen. People can do as they wish, as a general norm.

This however is very culture specific. India has a large issue at the moment trying to force people to be patriotic by saying all should stand for the national anthem in other enviroments.

This is the first I've heard of it in the workplace, but I wouldn't be surprised that people are so ingrained and others are so violent if you don't do it, it's considered almost common practice these days.

There have been reports of people being assaulted for not standing for the national anthem. Some of these people were not physically able to.

So, until this situation is sorted out, most people in India will probably stand when the national anthem is played due to either patriotism, fear, common practice, or even because of mob mentality.

Here's more reading on the issues they have had with this Sedition law

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Now just like I wouldn't liked to be asked why I didn't stand for the anthem, I wouldn't ask them why they did. They are free to do whatever they want.

You already answered it? If they're not trying to force you to do it and they're not hurting anyone, why do you care?

Such drone-like behaviour is a bit weird but let them do what they want

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