What ever happened to peace, love and understanding? Or at least being thoughtful, polite and considerate?
Half a dozen grocery carts strewn around a parking lot in an affluent area of town are symbolic of a greater issue: being an asshole is contagious and we haven’t been inoculated.
Leading by example lives on in a gross expanse beyond the urchins that fall from our collective uteri and breaks through the walls of our florescent days. Hell, just look at Al Gore and his bright green interwebs. An Oscar later, the world wakes up to find frog colored glasses strapped on their heads.
Everywhere we go and with everything we do, this simple assholearrific fact has me teetering on the edge of any religion and the core of them all where “do unto others” is the chorus regardless of how it’s interpreted and who said it. Jesus, Buddha, the Dali Lama, Confucius, Allah, Brahman, whatever. It’s all the same.
Don’t be an asshole.
But we are. We’re assholes. We’ve been reprogrammed since the societal high bar crashed to the ground and the collective death rattle of our moral compass went spinning out of control. We’re too far from home to worry if our parents see us doing something we know is wrong (though I’d guess the view isn’t shabby from the after life). We’re not just lazy and inconsiderate in grocery store parking lots – we’re irresponsible with the environment, we’re negligent with the emotions of others, we’re flat out ugly in traffic, and we sure as hell haven’t earned the special treatment we all seem to think we’re entitled to.
So here’s my request. Put the cart back. Say thank you. Smile. Don’t run the red light. Put the seat down. Let that guy merge. Don’t be a jerk to your waitperson. Remember that not everyone harnesses the ability to read your mind.
Find the good, and push it out…infect everyone you meet.
09 May 07
12:12 pm
Seriously? Why should I put the seat down? Why don’t you put the seat up?
For the record, I put the lid down. Now we both have to lift something bitches!
I agree with everything else you said.
09 May 07
12:19 pm
How about this: put things back the way you found them.
More better?
Both the lid and the seat go down @ our house too, btw.
09 May 07
2:05 pm
Bravo, Maigh. That’s all that needs to be said. Well put and to the point.
Again, with the assholery
I like assholerific.
09 May 07
2:06 pm
If “the way I found it” equals “lid down” then it is indeed more better.
09 May 07
3:49 pm
i came across this woman discarding her shopping cart behind my truck(eventhough the cart corral was like 20 ft away) as i was walkin towards it at the grocery store yesterday, i patiently waited until she got into her big sport utility vehicle, turned it on, checked her makeup, plucked her eye lashes/brows(i dunno), applied a fresh coat of “foodstamp whore red” lipstick, lifted her boobs into place, made a few cell phone calls, checked her scratch off lotto tickets, then as she put it into gear..i placed the cart behind her big ass suv, i stood there laughing my ass off! im not at all ashamed of what i did, i loved it, it felt great and i would do it again… in fact im looking forward to the day i can do it again, it was sweet sweet revenge for the thousands of times ive had to take carts placed behind my vehicle to the bin where they belong, lazy fat bastards! .. guess im an asshole huh?
09 May 07
7:27 pm
I’m laughing, and that’s all I’m gonna say.
I am not exempt from the disease…
09 May 07
9:29 pm
OMG, this is sincerely a serious candidate for my most favorite blog of all time. It’s at least in the top ten.
So well put!
And Eddie? Shoot, that’s just hysterical. In an ironic way.
09 May 07
11:33 pm
Well put. I have been thinking about this topic a lot myself lately. When did we all forget the basic manners we learned so long ago?
10 May 07
12:07 am
“Find the good, and push it out…infect everyone you meet.” Words to live by…great post!
10 May 07
2:26 pm
Thank ya’ll. *blush*
10 May 07
4:37 pm
So is Mic prepared to bail you out after a “towanda” incident at the supermarket?
Bravo Eddie, Bravo.
11 May 07
9:06 am
I love you! (in a non-stalking kinda way!)
11 May 07
12:07 pm
@ J: I have actually scared The Mc with my temper before. I’m admittedly a work in progress with an ideal.
@ Euro: Awww yeay! Thanks! I’ll hold off on blocking your IP.