The Week contest: Syndrome - March 11, 2011

Psychologists have identified a new malady they call "pedestrian aggressiveness syndrome," in which brisk walkers feel rage amid heavy sidewalk traffic. Coin the name for another pathological syndrome found in everyday life

If you're prone to blowing by slow walkers or giving dirty looks to plodding pedestrians, you could have "sidewalk rage."
(Image credit: Corbis)

Welcome to The Week's "What Next?" contest, an invitation to test your powers of imagination with challenges inspired by current events.

Click here for results of last week's contest: N.Y. Law

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THE WINNER: Amkeysia: The ability to recall the lyrics to every Elton John song, but not where you put your keys five minutes ago

Mary Wu, Naperville

SECOND PLACE: CEFS (Compulsive E-mail Fowarding Syndrome), in which people feel compelled to forward notes, jokes, or articles of miniscule importance to everyone on their mailing list

Morton Ginsberg, East Norriton, PA

THIRD PLACE: B.I.N. (Burrito-Induced Narcolepsy)

Chris Perin, New York City

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Medicothermia: The fear that a medical instrument about to touch your body will be very cold

Miles Klein, Frisco, TX

Obsessive Pedantic Syndrome: The inability to read a Facebook status update without replying with a correction of the spelling or grammar

Mark Terry, Chapel Hill, NC

Irritable Vowel Syndrome: Annoyance at people who say, "anyhoo" for "anyhow"

Edmund Conti, Raleigh, NC

Microwave Beep Avoidance Syndrome: Stopping the microwave a few seconds early so you don’t have to hear it beep

Lisa Schrader, Woodstock, CT

Café Latte Nervosa: Anger afflicting some café patrons when they feel they are expected to tip the barista after already spending $4.50 on a cup of coffee

Elizabeth Jahn, Lee Center, IL

Dropped Call Dysphoria

Kenja Seuberling, Lebanon, OH

Bankers' Bonus Bulimia: Uncontrollable urge to vomit when hearing about banker bonus pay

Robert Cooper, Barrington, RI

Cellusional Disorder: The conviction that others are talking to you when they’re really on their cells, talking to someone else

Kevin Turnipseed, Mansfield, TX

Mad Car Disease

Dean Smith, Peninsula, OH

Ifonitis

Andrew Klimenko, San Francisco

Meanness Envy: Angry admiration of the other political party’s cutting remarks on a cable news show

Barry Cutler, Palm Desert, CA

Munchausen by Little League: When a parent believes that his/her child will get a baseball scholarship to Stanford

Gia Paladino, Los Angeles

Early Onset Middle Age: People in their 30s who can’t understand the fascination with Facebook and Twitter

Angela James, Westminster, MC

Uncontrollable Swearing at Jammed Printer Syndrome

Michael Slawski, Fairvax, VA