Psychology says breaking social norms causes "Cognitive Dissonance" in observers. I wanted to test this. I wore a heavy, puffer Winter Jacket in Bangalore during peak Summer (34°C). I walked into a mall, a park, and a metro station.

34°C ☀️

> THE PHYSICAL TORTURE

Within 3 minutes, I was regretting this. My body temperature skyrocketed. I could feel sweat pooling in places I didn't know existed. I looked like the Michelin Man having a heat stroke.

HYDRATION CRITICAL

> THE REACTIONS (METRO STATION)

Reaction 1 (Security Guard): Stopped me immediately. "Sir? Checking." He patted me down aggressively. He thought I was hiding a bomb. Wearing a jacket in summer = Suspicious Behavior. Valid logic.

Reaction 2 (Teenagers): Pointed and laughed. "Bro thinks he is in Canada." "Maybe he has fever?"

Reaction 3 (Concerned Aunty): "Beta, are you okay? Should I call a doctor?" This broke me. Her genuine concern made me feel like a complete idiot for doing this "experiment."

> THE MALL (THE COOLING)

Entering the AC Mall was bliss. But the stares continued. People didn't look at me with curiosity. They looked at me with pity. They assumed I was mentally unstable. Breaking norms doesn't make you look "edgy." It makes you look like you need help.

12
Laughs
5
Angry Stares
2
Doctor Offers

> CONCLUSION

I lasted 45 minutes. I almost fainted. The experiment proved that society is actually quite observant. Nobody ignored me. Everyone had a reaction. We think we are invisible in public, but if we deviate even slightly (like wearing a jacket), the spotlight turns on instantly. I drank 2 liters of water afterwards.