I think my least favorite meme on the left is "you're a good person because you return the shopping cart to the corral,"
Because, as with so many other things, it assumes the structures and systems we work within are neutral and equal, and everyone is equally capable of working within it.
It's a mostly harmless version on its own, but it still reduces everything to personal accountability and assumes a level playing field.
As though the corrals weren't placed there by a company, prioritizing parking and balancing that versus the labor of constantly policing the lot for loose carts.
At its heart is a good question - "all things being equal, do you accept that you are in community, and have responsibilities even when they don't benefit you or anyone you'll ever meet, both because you don't want to burden them unduly and because you're counting on them to do the same for you."
But - is there a cart corral immediately next to the handicap parking? Sometimes. Often not. That's not something everyone considers.
And not all disabled people have a placcard, or get a space. Is a person who was using the cart for support expected to walk back to the car, unsupported? How far?
Is a parent with three kids, trying to wrangle them into the car, supposed to leave them alone and walk the cart all the way back across a massive parking lot, because the store hasn't prioritized corrals that far out, since loose carts there don't impact parking except at peak hours?
Is the lot well-maintained? Just close to the store, or everywhere? Are there any corrals at all?
If pressed with examples, some folks would argue that it's still just what you DO, there are RULES.
Others might say, "well of course THAT person gets an exception." Which I suppose is nice...
does the cart wranglers task represent the only 15 minutes they get in their day without a manager chewing their ass? maybe they'd like them a little harder to wrangle
God, do I wish that there were as many sensitive "bleeding hearts" on this side as the right scoffingly claims. That level of empathy might actually get shit done.
Same for energy limiting disabilities. Stores are really hard. Sometimes we miscalculate and go when we shouldn’t, or have to.
I agree that the meme is more on the harmless end, except some versions of it are really just extremely mean and intentionally nasty.
You can always tell just by looking at the cart condition if they've got it close enough to the handicap spots.
Costco is often TERRIBLE at this, especially considering how big the store is; that corridor running between the rows of spots will be absolutely clogged with carts.
When I worked in places that had shopping carts, going out to collect them and bring them back was the best part of the work day. I got to go outside for a few minutes, see the sun, breathe some fresh air, be free from jackass customers for a bit...
I hate the meme, too, for a few reasons.
I know you're pointing out the issues with the larger shallow discourse, and I support you in that. Parking lots and cart corrals are in great need of serious thought and redesign. And we certainly need better expression of our fluid personal and collective responsibilities. 1/2
I want to point out some of the recent discourse on this was pushback against mainly white women fearmongering about human trafficking - this classic alarmism and entitlement was deserving of the criticism it received. 2/2
I am unaware of any recent discourse, so this isn't a response to it. It was inspired by being at a grocery store, and seeing "always returns the cart to the corral" or something similar on several dating app profiles.
