The Shopping Cart Theory (Inspired by Jeaney Collects)

Video inspired by Jeaney Collects:

Audio:
"Scott Buckley - Adrift Among Infinite Stars" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license.
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[sroku]

This feels like the prologue to an apocalyptic movie. "In a world corrupted by unreturned shopping carts, one person stands alone..."

[lukeallison]

My entire life my mom told me there are 2 people in this world, those who return the cart and those who don’t, and that you can learn everything you need to know about someone by their decision.

[Viewer]

"Sir, this is a Walmart parking lot."

[feathermerchant]

Then there is the person who not only returns the cart, but arranges the carts left askew in the shopping cart stall (which sometimes prevents other carts from being left in the stall).

[markbajek]

When I collected shopping carts in my younger days for Kmart . I found if I completely cleared the lot and the corrals where the carts should go that people would often as not just leave their cart in their parking space, BUT if I seeded the corals with one or two carts before people had a chance to place a cart in a parking space more people would return their carts to the corrals. I think it sort of came down to "well everyone is just leaving their carts in parking spaces so I will too" mentality but if they saw no carts in the parking spaces and a few carts in the corrals they were more likely than not to take a few steps and return the carts to the corrals just to not be the outlyer.

[calebklingerman]

“A person who is unable to do this is no better than an animal, an absolute savage” I completely agree

[DisIzDaName]

I've noticed many shopping carts half-lifted into a planter in the parking lot, or up on a nearby curb.

Doing that literally would've taken more effort than just returning the cart.

Naturally I must conclude that many store customers are sociopaths seeking only to see the world burn for their own twisted amusement.

[Mr-DNA_]

Here in Switzerland, shopping cards are tied to each other and you can only get one by putting a one francs coin in the cart, which then you can only get out of it by returning the shopping cart.

[КрутоусОстап]

The same thing with garbage. If people throw it out on the street, forest or sea surface, then you can surely tell, that they have at least one strong negative trait. My friend once did that, turns out that he lacks any motivation to do anything actually (and I consider myself lazy btw). That's not very hard to carry your junk to the nearest garbage can.

[bruh]

This is honestly such a goldmine that I've stumbled upon! Amazing video, it's almost surreal how few views this has, it deserves much more. There's like a desolate feeling to this video, like a call before the storm. This better blow up, very great job guys!

[dommyboysmith]

Some places charge you 25 cents to unlock the cart, and it gives it back when you return the cart.
If these heathens can't be stopped, we can at least slightly inconvenience them by looking for quarters.

[rustybones]

When I worked at a dept store in high school I loved getting to go out and do carts, especially near the end of the night when friends were hanging out in the parking lot. It was a nice break to get some fresh air and potentially drink a beer if friends were out there.

[thomasrosenbloom]

My grandfather taught me to live by a simple rule, learned by him growing up at the turn of the 20th Century in Northern Minnesota: Always leave the woodpile higher than you found it. Such a simple, beautiful metaphor for life. Shopping carts are an easily understood example encountered by almost everyone of the opposite of that ethic: Hooray for me and screw you. These are personal, individual decisions made on a daily basis. This is us.

[qmnnvrdyz]

So true! Years ago, I watched a man put his walker into a cart and return it. I never left one out again! I also saw one blow into a woman's gorgeous, brand new car and scratch it. I waited for her to come out and told her what happened. We both went into the store, told them, and had to fill out forms. In the end, they didn't pay for all of it, but the woman, who I'd never met before, sent me a gift card to that store. I have other stories, but I think I made my point...lol.

[LostInTheClouds]

I really hope the algorithm picks this up! The shots are unironically brilliant!

[guardianv]

Great points. Addendum: I've seen a small claims case where someone did not return the shopping cart to the cart return and it rolled into someone else's car and they had to pay the damages.

[ME-cdbs]

As a former bagger and shopping cart attendant, I say leave the cart wherever. The more scattered they were the longer I was out of the store not having to talk to customers 🤙🏻

[lemonlimethewolf]

I’m a bagger at the store I work at and I have to collect carts multiple times a day, doesn’t matter how hot or cold it gets, even in the rain unless there is lightning, some drivers are rude and try to shove past the cart pusher and the line of carts, or they will see us heading one way and quickly park their car in the way of which we’re going and it can be a pain to turn those stupid carts if they are old and have broken wheels or bent fronts

[-jadepink-]

As someone who works at Walmart, yes. This is entirely true. But even more so with the hand baskets. At the self checkouts. Like, they will just leave them there. On the self checkouts. Like, seriously, I can’t just put away baskets all day long. To do that, I have to leave my station. And that’s when people need assistance, or when people steal items. Leaving a hand basket on the self checkout directly effects the satisfaction of customers and the amount of thefts, which leads to higher prices eventually because of the monetary losses.
Shopping carts are sometimes left at the self checkouts, but less often. I believe that’s most common outside of the stores. For the cart pushers. However, near the exit (indoors), they never stack their cart back. They just leave it in front of the exit door. Sometimes to the point where customers can’t even get out the exit

If you are disabled, elderly, or have some sort of inability to return your cart or basket, then it’s fine. But if you are perfectly healthy, like, why would you do that

(At least say “excuse me, I’m sorry but is it okay if you take this basket for me?”)

[romualdespacariem]

Beautifully made video! I love the direction you took with the B roll!