Standing Ovation

Nice article in the New York Times about the history and current devaluation of the standing ovation. Every show on Broadway, even the mediocre ones, get standing ovations:

John Lahr, the theater critic for The New Yorker magazine, sees a complex psychological dynamic at work. "I think it's generally an attempt by the audience at self-hypnosis," he said. "They think if they go to a show and stand at the end they've had a good time. They're trying to give themselves the experience they thought they should have."

I know I'm a curmudgeon, but I really hate the trend toward giving everything a standing ovation. I haven't been to any plays lately, but I've been to a few events that call for audience applause, and it seems that everyone is willing to jump up and clap at the drop of a hat. And if you remain seated, then you look like an asshole. It would be interesting to see some social psychological research on this matter. What percentage of the audience needs to give a standing ovation to cause everyone else to rise?