It's not just bridge. Hidden rules are everywhere.
I have always been terrible at cryptic crosswords. Then I came across a social media account where someone has been explaining the unspoken tips and tricks. No wonder I couldn't do them. It's like you have to belong to a special club or use a secret handshake.
The thing about hidden rules is that they are hidden. You can't know there are any until you find about about them. (Then, they are not hidden any more.)
When my sister went to university, she got her second major after she was given some tips about course selection and grades. This affected her whole career. These tips were not in the rule book. She had no idea they were allowed.
Hidden rules are everywhere.
Kids with ASD who stick to the written rules for guidance can really miss the unspoken rules of conversation and socializing. Elevator etiquette, social distancing, and conversation flow can be daunting when you don't know the rules.
In the workplace, hidden rules tell you how much time you need to spend in the office, what you wear and how you conduct yourself - stuff that's not in the office manual.
Some hidden rules are hidden out of innocence, like language barriers and cognitive barriers. Some are hidden by assumption. In grandma's old cookbook she couldn't imagine a reality where someone didn't know how to make shortcrust pastry or de-bone a fish. Some are hidden deliberately by those who want to elevate themselves by lowering someone else.
I felt foolish and confused at the bridge game. Until I got angry. How could I possibly have known?
Hidden rules are everywhere. Ok then. But it's not ok to expect everyone to know them. They are hidden after all.
