Shopping cart theory explained

The shopping cart theory is an internet meme which judges a person's ethics by whether they return a shopping cart to its designated cart corral or deposit area. The concept became viral online after a 2020 Internet meme which posits that shopping carts present a litmus test for a person's capability of self-governing, as well as a way to judge one's moral character. Detractors of the theory have cited various reasons why returning a cart is unfavorable, with concerns about leaving children unattended as one of the more commonly referenced.

Background and meme

Shopping carts are a common fixture in retailing environments. More common in European countries, some retailers have cart deposits which involve customers inserting a coin to receive a cart for use while shopping.[1] [2] The coin is only then returned upon the customer returning the cart to the deposit.[1] Other retailers have a cart corral system, which involve customers voluntarily returning the cart to a designated corral or deposit area.[1]

The topic of customers returning their carts has been of discussion and debate online. In 2017, an article was published by anthropologist Krystal D'Costa in Scientific American, titled "Why Don't People Return Their Shopping Carts?"[3] [4] D'Costa listed the following reasons as why some choose to not return their carts: bad weather, the cart deposit being too far from one's parking spot, concerns about leaving children unattended, disability, the perception that it is a shop employee's job to return the carts, and the intent of leaving a cart for another to "easily pick up and use".

D'Costa's article has been retrospectively referenced by media outlets when discussing the "shopping cart theory" meme,[4] which originates from a 4chan post made in May 2020.[5] According to the post, the shopping cart is "the ultimate litmus test for whether a person is capable of self-governing".[5] In addition to asserting that returning a cart to its designated deposit or rack is "objectively right" and widely considered appropriate, the post goes on to state that returning a cart is "the apex example of whether a person will do what is right without being forced to do it".[6] Ultimately, the poster stated that the "shopping cart is what determines whether a person is a good or bad member of society."[7]

Media writers have written that the 4chan post circulated online in 2020, becoming popular on Reddit and other websites, while also becoming a point of debate.[8] [9] The concept went viral on Twitter after a user named Jared tweeted about it, sparking discussion on the platform.[7]

Virality and responses

The topic has been noted to be hotly debated online.[7] [9] Indeed, in a follow-up, D'Costas stated that her Scientific American article "struck a nerve"; on the magazine's Facebook page "some said they were afraid to leave children unattended, or struggled with a disability, or feared making someone's job obsolete".[8] Lorraine Sommerfield of The Hamilton Spectator expressed conditional agreement with the theory, stating "stores should have lots of easily accessible cart corrals," and added that "some individuals may have mobility issues".[10] Calling the original 4chan post "clinical", Nate Rogers of The Ringer cited its 2020 dating ("at the beginning of the pandemic") to suggest "it's surprisingly clear when shopping cart etiquette became a modern lightning-rod test of moral character," mentioning this time period as one in which "people were fiercely debating what they owed to their fellow citizens".[5] The shopping cart theory has been referenced in a 2021 Politico article about a New Jersey legislation proposal that would fine shoppers for leaving carts in parking spots designated for disabled individuals.[6]

In 2024, the shopping cart theory experienced further virality online after TikTok user Leslie Dobson explained why she does not return carts, defending her refusal to do so.[11] [12] A clinical and forensic psychologist, Dobson stated her concern of leaving her child unattended in order to return the cart.[11] [9] This reason was concurrent with a common reason mentioned by the 2017 Scientific American article.[13] Dobson also stated her video was intentionally provocative, in hopes of garnering attention and raising awareness of child abduction.[14] Dobson's video received over 11 million views and received considerable backlash, though she also received messages from users who agreed with her stance, stating they were too afraid to discuss their opinion online themselves.[9] [15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gulliver. Katrina. Free Wheeling: Shopping Carts and Culture. JSTOR Daily. JSTOR. December 24, 2023. June 29, 2024. June 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240618190413/https://daily.jstor.org/free-wheeling-shopping-carts-and-culture-and-culture/. live.
  2. Web site: Meyersohn. Nathaniel. Shopping carts keep disappearing from stores . CNN. January 21, 2023. June 29, 2024.
  3. Web site: D'Costa. Krystal. Why Don't People Return Their Shopping Carts?. Scientific American. April 26, 2017. June 7, 2024. June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607194204/https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/anthropology-in-practice/why-dont-people-return-their-shopping-carts/. live.
  4. Web site: Hayes. Stephanie. Do you return your shopping cart, or do you choose chaos?. Tampa Bay Times. July 15, 2022. June 7, 2024. February 8, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230208101716/https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/07/15/do-you-return-your-shopping-cart-or-do-you-choose-chaos/. live.
  5. Web site: Rogers . Nate . August 10, 2023 . Think You're a Good Person? That's Up to the Cart Narc and His Camera. . June 7, 2024 . . June 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240607203047/https://www.theringer.com/pop-culture/2023/8/10/23825135/cart-narc-shopping-cart-theory-instagram-youtube . live .
  6. Web site: Friedman. Nate. Cart narc: New Jersey lawmaker proposes fines for shoppers who leave carts in spaces for disabled. Politico. April 27, 2021. June 7, 2024. June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607205942/https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2021/04/27/cart-narc-new-jersey-lawmaker-proposes-fines-for-shoppers-who-leave-carts-in-spaces-for-disabled-1378368. live.
  7. Web site: Khalil. Shireen. Shopping trolley test proves if you're a good person or not. news.com.au. May 22, 2020. June 14, 2024. December 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221227052044/https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/shopping-trolley-test-proves-if-youre-a-good-person-or-not/news-story/ef9333cc987fba159aa7ca1272fb720d. live.
  8. Web site: Hauser. Christine. Everyone Has a Theory About Shopping Carts. New York Times. June 8, 2021. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20210608142119/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/08/style/shopping-cart-parking-lot.html. June 8, 2021.
  9. Web site: Stechyson. Natalie. Do you return your grocery cart? A viral video ignited debate over this common courtesy. CBC.ca. June 5, 2024. June 7, 2024. June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607000735/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/return-grocery-cart-video-1.7225111. live.
  10. News: Sommerfield. Lorraine. Penguins and the shopping cart theory. The Hamilton Spectator. July 14, 2023. June 14, 2024. June 14, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240614221837/https://www.thespec.com/life/penguins-and-the-shopping-cart-theory/article_1d8329de-062d-5b54-9641-14b466eb5aca.html. live.
  11. Web site: Encinas. Amaris. 'You can judge me all you want': California mom's refusal to return shopping cart goes viral. USA Today. June 5, 2024. June 7, 2024. June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607043734/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2024/06/05/leslie-dobson-shopping-cart-return/73987501007/. live.
  12. Web site: Sjoberg. Brooke. 'You can judge me all you want': Trader Joe's customer says you shouldn't return shopping carts. The Daily Dot. May 31, 2024. June 7, 2024. June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607194204/https://www.dailydot.com/news/trader-joes-shopping-cart-theory/. live.
  13. Web site: Lewis. Barry. Barry Lewis: Shopping cart mayhem and civil society. Times Herald-Record. August 20, 2021. June 7, 2024. June 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240607194204/https://www.recordonline.com/story/opinion/2021/08/20/shopping-cart-chaos-what-we-do-them-speaks-volumes-us/8181237002/. live.
  14. Web site: Solé. Elise. Mom faces backlash for explaining why she doesn't return her shopping cart at the grocery store. Today. June 3, 2024. June 14, 2024. June 14, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240614094008/https://www.today.com/parents/moms/mom-shopping-cart-debate-rcna154889. live.
  15. Web site: Fry. Hannah. Do you return your shopping cart? A psychologist's answer on TikTok enraged thousands. Los Angeles Times. June 3, 2024. June 7, 2024. June 6, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240606151352/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-06-03/do-you-return-your-shopping-cart-this-psycologists-answer-enraged-thousands. live.

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