Another musing on civility, decency, and your fellow man

I don't have facts or figures to back this up, but rest assured, I'm 100% confident in saying that in the history of the world since the invention of the automobile, no one has ever taken up two spots without knowing it. And notice I didn't say "since the invention of parking lot stripes" because I do not believe that a person can park eight feet from another car without knowing they are eight feet from another car, stripes or no stripes.

Every time you see that (or do it, you creep), you are witnessing a bit of sociopathy in action. It's not a question of knowing that they are inconveniencing someone else, it's that they don't care. In their everyday life, they probably abide by the rules like the rest of us do, but not because they believe in the underlying ethics or morality of them, they just don't want to deal with the consequences of breaking the big ones. Taking up two spots is worry free. Just try to think back to last time you keyed a car for that, if you ever did.

Unfortunately, the world is full of people who are rude to waiters, receptionists, and janitors; who steal from the lunchroom refrigerator, the supply room, or your desk; bosses who expect extra time from you and not them, who short your check, and who make promises they have no intention of keeping; and the list goes on.

Not all of it rises to the level of outright criminal behavior, but it is certainly stuff that sleazy people feel that they can get away with. The reason they feel that way is because we let them do it.

What I suggest is that we call them on it. Not everybody, mind you, just the people in our immediate sphere of influence. If all of us got together and modified the behavior of just one jerk, the world would be so much more livable. And think of how much fun it would be to punch your mother-in-law in the face for taking up two parking spots.