Usually, if you have to ask yourself if you’re secretly a jerk, chances are that you’re not.
It’s kind of like how real sociopaths would never wonder if they were secretly sociopaths. Still, there are some definitive behaviors of mid-tier jerks.
One of the many tell-tale signs lies in what you do with your shopping cart after a trip to the grocery store.
Pro tip: whatever you do, don’t do this.
So, what do you do with your shopping cart after you’re done shopping?
Do you aimlessly leave it somewhere near where you’ve parked, or do you take the time to push it back to the cart holder? Be honest with yourself.
If you do the latter, good on you.
If you do the former, oops – you just might be an a**hole.
Rest assured, you’re not alone. Even coin incentives aren’t enough to motivate people anymore, these days.
Basically, the theory is rooted in Platonic notions of self-governance.
It’s a gauge of what we’re willing to do on our own so we can all exist peacefully in society. So, our behavior when nobody’s looking (or we at least think that nobody is) is a huge indicator for our own morality. That might seem like a lot of weight resting on just one shopping cart, but it’s a sign of a larger issue.
What do you do when you’re the only one responsible for your actions?
It’s the same idea behind littering and curbing your dog – or even replacing a roll of toilet paper. The shopping cart theory measures how much you’re thinking about other people when they’re not right in front of you. It’s essentially a movable range of how self-absorbed you might be, but it’s by no means a definitive guide.
What do you think of the shopping cart theory? Is it an accurate way of weeding out the jerks, or is it totally misguided?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
