1131
title (i.imgur.com)
submitted 1 year ago by TehBamski@lemmy.world to c/memes@lemmy.world
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] neatchee@lemmy.world 121 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The shopping cart is the ultimate litmus test for whether a person is capable of self-governing. To return the shopping cart is an easy, convenient task and one which we all recognize as the correct, appropriate thing to do. To return the shopping cart is objectively right. There are no situations other than dire emergencies in which a person is not able to return their cart. Simultaneously, it is not illegal to abandon your shopping cart. Therefore the shopping cart presents itself as the apex example of whether a person will do what is right without being forced to do it. No one will punish you for not returning the shopping cart, no one will fine you or kill you for not returning the shopping cart, you gain nothing by returning the shopping cart. You must return the shopping cart out of the goodness of your own heart. You must return the shopping cart because it is the right thing to do. Because it is correct.

A person who is unable to do this is no better than an animal, an absolute savage who can only be made to do what is right by threatening them with a law and the force that stands behind it. The Shopping Cart is what determines whether a person is a good or bad member of society.

Personally I think shopping carts are the penultimate litmus test. Returning a shopping cart requires effort, albeit a miniscule amount of effort. The ultimate litmus test is litering. It requires exactly zero effort to not throw your trash on the ground or out your car window. To me, littering practically screams, "I don't give a shit about anyone but myself. I have the self control of a toddler at bed time and I want everyone to know it which is why I throw my shit on the ground like a total fucktard."

I'm not really a confrontational person but I have rolled down my window and yelled at people for throwing their cigarette butts on the ground. You would think some people were raised in a goddamn barn.

I may feel a little strongly about this issue.

[-] roscoe@startrek.website 26 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

But there is a penalty for littering. Some people might refrain from littering not because it's the right thing to do, but because they don't want a fine.

The lack of repercussions for being a scumbag and abandoning your cart is what makes it a good test.

[-] shalafi@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

If you're offended by a cigarette butt on the ground, holy fuck, you should have been around in the 70s. We have come so far and so fast.

When I was a kid, chunking your fast-food trash, any trash, out the window was perfectly normal. The sides of highways were covered in trash.

Further to go, of course, but I've seen solid progress.

[-] victorz@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

I live in Sweden; rarely do I ever see a shopping cart just sitting in the parking lot. Can't remember a time in the last decade.

[-] Jyrdano@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

I figure it’s mostly an American thing we’re too European to understand.

[-] victorz@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

You think so? Are Americans really more lazy/inconsiderate people? Some other reason why this might be more common there?

[-] Dlayknee@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Are Americans really more lazy/inconsiderate people?

American here. The answer is emphatically "yes".

load more comments (4 replies)
[-] Jyrdano@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I dont think so. It’s just that I’ve been in several EU countries, and Ive never encountered this issue here.

I think the real reason might be that majority if not all supermarkets require coins to unlock the shopping cart.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (6 replies)
[-] skydivekingair@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Is there a version of this that includes something about Aldi and other pay to return shops?

[-] neatchee@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

The existence of Aldi carts is proof that there are a lot of people out there with no ability to self govern

[-] KingJalopy@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

But for a potential loss of $0.25 they can suddenly self govern.

[-] idunnololz@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

It's also about the inconvenience of having to obtain another quarter.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (34 replies)
[-] kamen@lemmy.world 31 points 1 year ago

Where I am, to unlock a cart, you have to insert a coin, and afterwards, to get the coin back, you have to lock the cart to another cart (that's hopefully part of the pile). It mostly works.

[-] CrowAirbrush@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

They stopped doing this at a lot of places, but after years of having this coin system it seems people are decently behaved.

But i'm certain it's a matter of time until they realize they can just stop giving a shit.

[-] bizzle@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

They do this at one particular store here. They also pay really well, have incredible prices, and let their cashiers sit in chairs while they check groceries. I like that store.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (11 replies)
[-] bigbadmoose@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

Leave it in the "Reserved for Law Enforcement" spot

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] MacNCheezus@lemmy.today 18 points 1 year ago

Instructions unclear, nailed shopping cart to the wall

load more comments (4 replies)
[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

This is a benefit of having kids. You can tell them to go put the cart away for you.

load more comments (3 replies)
[-] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Grumbling this to myself for the thousandth time in a Costco parking lot, I looked out at the sea of parked cars and realized that the majority of people probably DO put their carts away responsibly, otherwise the dozen carts I saw askew would've been a hundred-fold.

[-] FrostKing@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

On a side note, my grandmother is always thankful when someone leaves a shopping cart by the parking space, because she leans on them to help her walk, and it's often hard for her to walk the distance from the car to the stall.

Generally though, yes, return your cart psycho

[-] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

I used to work bringing in carts at a store and it was the best part of my job. I see this as just a cost of doing business for these giant stores that need carts to begin with, although I always put my cart back. I can understand if the thing is way far away though. Who cares? Let them pay someone a fair wage to keep track of them. We know that will never happen though so you need to bring it back to be considerate to other shoppers. Giving the store free labor lol

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] Kongar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 year ago

Interestingly, there was a time not too long ago where there was no such thing as returning your carts. No place to put them, and store employees fetched them. I always return my cart so it doesn’t blow away and smash into someone’s car - but I bet a lot of boomers think nothing of leaving it wherever - because that’s kind of what you did.

[-] gerbler@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'm sorry but there's No way even boomers get a pass. It's been expected to return your cart to the stall for longer at least 30 years. In some places you even had to put $1 into the cart to use it and got it back when you returned it ($1 was also a lot more 25 years ago).

There's really no excuse for not returning the cart today and anyone who fails at this simple task of self-governance is no better than animal.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] HiddenLayer5@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not returning your cart should be the one and only criteria for the naughty list.

[-] suchwin@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago
load more comments (2 replies)
[-] Grass@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

When I worked at a store we had two sizes of shipping cart and they couldn't interlock but people would force it anyway or back them in to engage the coin latch. The cart sheds became a total mess and the store was too understaffed and the manager often ended up doing the cars, badly, in favor of pulling people off indoors cleaning or w.e. I often left the cart over a parking separator brick so it can't roll into cars, but doesn't add to the jumbled mess in the shed.

[-] de_nada@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

It's called the "cart corral". I just love that.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] tubbadu@lemmy.kde.social 5 points 1 year ago
[-] Sirico@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

+1 for creating your own stall out of an abandoned trolly, even if it goes across the entrance or a disability parking spot

load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2023
1131 points (94.9% liked)

memes

10549 readers
2828 users here now

Community rules

1. Be civilNo trolling, bigotry or other insulting / annoying behaviour

2. No politicsThis is non-politics community. For political memes please go to !politicalmemes@lemmy.world

3. No recent repostsCheck for reposts when posting a meme, you can only repost after 1 month

4. No botsNo bots without the express approval of the mods or the admins

5. No Spam/AdsNo advertisements or spam. This is an instance rule and the only way to live.

Sister communities

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS