[December 12, 2024] I honestly never heard about this shopping cart theory before this morning. After reading an article about it, click, I immediately understood the idea behind the theory.
The “theory” states that you can tell whether somebody is fundamentally a member of civilization or a savage based on whether they return their shopping cart. It’s obviously correct and true – with a few exceptions, of course.
Some will say that it’s not worth our time even discussing the idea (a better term than an all encompassing “theory “). What they don’t understand is that it is a big deal because how we handle the small, seemingly inconsequential things that tell much about us.
Here’s the situation. Return your shopping cart to the store or designated return location or just leave it wherever in the parking lot. There is no reward for doing the right thing by returning the cart. Likewise, there is no punishment for doing what is clearly wrong.
Thus, shopping carts present a litmus test for a person’s capability of self-control and governance, as well as a way to judge one’s moral character. There are some who push back on the theory because it doesn’t take into account unusual circumstances. True, but an inconsequential argument against the idea.
This theory went viral in 2020 at the front end of the pandemic fiasco and originated in Scientific American with an article titled, “Why Don’t People Return Their Shopping Carts?” Of course, the cart is just a convenient symbol of a clear eyed look into common human behavior and how we can make simple choices to ensure our lives are better, and that if others are easier and more pleasant.
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No surprise. A named,theory for something we all know. Some people are dumb.
Ahhhh, the old shopping cart dilemma.
Excellent article and thanks to SA for allowing it to be published. SA started to go,woke in 2020 and that makes sense that this article on shopping cart theory got through. The only articles today have to insult Americans somehow and scientific rigor is irrelevant.
Yes, unfortunately they went off the deep end, and for some unknown reason other than what Gen. Satterfield has written about —- it’s easy!
Very good Scientific American article. I’m not sure if anyone is aware or not, but Scientific American went full woke. And the female president got fired for making inappropriate comments about Donald Trump,being elected as the 47th President of the United States. 🇺🇸 SA was once a great magazine. Now it’s sh$$.
Sir, excellent news that you are starting this IraqWar series that leads up to the surge. Very few civilians actually ever heard of it and that’s because the media, politicians, and local government leaders either hid or blocked the info coming out of Iraq. There were so many falsehoods, that this alone should be labellwe as one of the greatest disasters in modern journalism. But it will not be seen this way. Journalists will see themselves as superior to the average man or woman on the streets.
Yeah, just need to tie this into today’s article. 😎
SHOPPING CART THEORY . . . . . . NOW I’VE HEARD EVERYTHING
What is of interest to me reading Gen. Satterfield’s blog these past few months is his targeting more individual behavior and some of the psychological reasoning behind them. In college, I never took any courses in psychology because we all thought the courses were junk. Nothing of value we could use, taking soft science courses. Maybe we were wrong. I was a chemistry major, like my friends – a small group of very dedicated students and close knit. We looked down on those who majored in psychology or sociology or those kind of majors. Now, later in life, I’m going back to discover what I missed and Gen. Satterfield is helping.
Dale, and at the same time, we will be taken on an adventure with him as his Army Engineers get things ready for the pre-surge.
https://www.theleadermaker.com/iraq-war-pre-surge-oil-gas/
Another surprise blog post about our everyday lives coming into,perspective. Thanks ,sir.
Hi Gen. Satterfield. I laughed when I saw your article and thought you might have been trying to spoof us with a shopping cart. But, no, this is a real deal. Like Pete notes below, this about those who are selfish – or perhaps about narcissistic folks who think the world revolves around them. We find them every where. Many are young and clueless because they’ve been brought up where their parents didn’t give them any responsibilities. And adult children, they still have so very few. And we wonder why they are so unhappy. No responsibility = no happiness. Oh, I’m starting to sound like Gen. Satterfield.
JT, no spoof today but don’t put it passed me that I’m going to try someday soon. 😀
Sir, can’t wait. I can only imagine what your poor mother had to do with putting up with your disagreeable antics. Ha Ha Ha Ha 😂😂😂😂
😃✌️👍🙏😂😎😇
Sir, the sooner the better!!!!!
👅🤡👀😍🥸❤️😳
Ha Ha, yep. The sooner, the better.
Very nice, Gen. Satterfield. You hit on one of my pet peeves.
This article might just be about selfish idiots. They’re everywhere and we have to put up with them. They are the same people who throw trash out the window. America’s roadways were once trashed up until we started cracking down and fining them. So, lesson learned. One way to make this better is to have a punishment because shame doesn’t work on most of those with trashy personalities.