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The shopping cart theory started as an internet meme that judged a person’s ethics by whether they return a shopping cart after use. But I would like to dig deeper into how the shopping cart theory can make the world a better place.

Why do we return the shopping cart when we are done with it? No one pays us to do so. There is no punishment for failing to put it away. There is no public acknowledgment of our good deed and no public shaming for leaving it out. There seems to be little in the way of extrinsic motivation to do the right thing, and yet most people respect that it is just the right thing to do and they do it. Putting away the cart makes the shopping experience safer and easier.

Can you imagine the parking lot as an obstacle course, dodging the carts that everyone decided wasn’t their problem and not their responsibility? How frustrating and dangerous would that be to drive in, to lead children through? Then, picture the parking lot with all the carts safely stowed away with plenty of room to drive, park and walk safely. We all acknowledge the value in it. So how does this make the world a better place? What if we could do this in more places than the parking lot? How can we apply this theory in our everyday lives?

Imagine a society where people just do the right thing, even if there is no payment, no punishment, no public acknowledgment, and no public shame. What if we can make the world a better place even if it isn’t our problem and not our responsibility? What if we just help each other? How much safer and happier could we be? I would love to find out.

Bethany Greiner
Albert Lea