I was talking to a co-worker today about movies, and movie theaters. One that I recommended, she had never been to, and asked, "Is it clean?" Clean for a movie theater, I guess. Then, the thought occurred midway through that I never understood the way people leave their trash on the floor at the movies. They take in a bag of popcorn and some over-priced beverage, finish it during the film and then leave the trash on the floor for a kid with a plastic bag to pick up when the movie is over. I never figured out how that became the custom, and immediately reasoned that it's because the theater is dark and they can leave junk without anyone knowing exactly who left it.
Then I realized that people do the same thing at baseball games. After the game, the stands are literally littered with trash, presumably for some stadium employee to pick up after the fans are gone. Mostly, it's brightly lit, so the darkness argument doesn't stand.
That leaves me with the same puzzlement over the slovenly behavior that I started with. It isn't the anonymity of the darkness, so maybe it's the idea that we're all strangers and leaving our trash behind doesn't reflect on us personally because no one knows who we are - except our companion (if there is one) who wouldn't dare call us a slob and ask, "If I came to your house to watch a movie and left the empty popcorn bag, napkin and soda can on the floor of your living room, would you be happy about it?"
Politeness Man is too self-aware and concerned with the comfort of others to leave trash on the floor no matter where he is. He picks up after himself when he is out because he treats the earth the way he expects people to treat his home - with respect. He doesn't understand how people can be so inconsiderate that they just leave their discarded junk on the floor for somebody else to pick up. He believes that these are the same people who yell at their kids to pick up their toys and clean their room because it looks like a pig sty.
Humans are strange.
6 comments:
Man, you're ranting these days aren'tcha?
Politeness Man has his work cut out for him. Thankfully there are stupid rude people all over this world. I hate when people leave their shit behind at the movies. If they would just pick up their crap maybe we wouldn't be paying 10 bucks for a seat to watch a movie.
Although it's been MONTHS since I've been to a movie.
As long as you are not in Camden, you are fine, pointless man. Though if you are, you need real superpowers
Pointless Man? Thanks.
I wrote about the theater trash myself recently. I too pick up trash when I can. Especially on walks. I always find a soda can in the gutter somewhere down the road.
I mean soda cans?? They've been recyclable for YEARS. In fact, I think that they're probably the easiest thing to recycle.
I learned not to litter from school and from my parents. I was basically raised in the mountains around here and my Dad instilled on me the camping without a trace practice.
We pick up pieces of candy wrappers and such up there when tourists and others leave their shit behind.
What do we hold sacred anymore when we litter in our national parks? Oh that's right, the all might dollar (that's basically not worth the paper it's printed on now) and our lazy lifestyle.
As far as I'm concerned the verdict is in and the human experiment has miserably failed.
Freudian slip?
Of course once again, you are right, Politeness Man, superhero!
I have the same thoughts as you about this matter (in German, of course), and I think just the same about public restrooms. I don't want to go into the yucky details, but I can't understand why it isn't possible for a lot of humans to use and leave a toilet in a way that wants the next person to BELIEVE that we all belong to the human race?
Women seem to be even filthier pigs than men, I must say.
Kimmyk: Yes, Politeness Man is not hurting for job security.
HBW: I think the littering thing is in my DNA someplace, although mom and dad weren't trash-throwers, so maybe it sunk in someplace?
With the failed human experiment, where are we left to go?
Junior: I've heard that about women's rest rooms. Although, as far as men are concerned, I'm continually amazed at the amount of men who think they can urinate without putting the seat up. Their aim isn't that good!
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