Is Littering Good?

[ku]

I was having lunch with one of my friends at a food court and once he had finished eating his meal he threw the rubbish on the floor for the cleaners. Everyone was staring at us, so I tried to stop him, but he told me that littering by people leads to job creation. His reasoning is that by making the food court messier the managers will hire more workers to clean up the place to keep consumers happy with the appearance. Would this be a good argument?

 

I thought about the issue a little and I think maybe his reasoning may be too short term. If the manager hires more workers to clean up rubbish in the food court then the manager's profits may go down, which may have further adverse effects on the economy. For example, the manager may not consume as much, which means that more workers are laid off at a Lexus plant due to lower production because of decreased demand because managers don't make as much money because they have to hire more cleaners because there is more litter because someone thinks that littering leads to job creation.

[Phi for All]

I do NOT subscribe to your friend's claim. It assumes the situation is completely under the control of the manager who operates the food court. There are many more influences, like customer response, higher costs (which you mention in part, but consider also higher insurance when someone slips on garbage and sues), and health risks from filth.

 

I prefer the Broken Window Theory which states that even violent crime can be attributable to excess litter and broken windows. Lack of caring shows lack of respect and breeds more of the same geometrically. Your friend could be starting a chain of events that leads to someone being hurt or even killed.

[Hellbender]

I think your friend was just trying to be an asshole, and thought he was cool because he found a way to justify it.

[The Peon]

What a jerk (in that instance), I cant stand lazy people who are too bothered to walk to a trashcan or cant be bothered to remember to throw it away at a later time. Most food wrapping materials are man made and cause damage to the local enviroment. How selfish and thoughtless.

[Pangloss]

Yeah, he's being a jerk.

 

I will say this, though: Why is it that that very same behavior is acceptable and even common practice when it's done in movie theaters?

[Phi for All]

Why is it that that very same behavior is acceptable and even common practice when it's done in movie theaters?

Possibly because you are seated for 2-3 hours with no trash receptacle within easy reach. And people have become lazy because there is usually a phalanx of gloomy ushers wating by the door with brooms waiting to clean up before the next show (many people don't realize they also have a trash can on wheels with them--it usually makes them smile when you toss your garbage in it without them having to pick it up).

 

To me, the height of arrogance and insensitivity is throwing fast food garbage out of moving vehicles. There should be a special prison for people who do that. With really filthy cells.

[Pangloss]

That crying indian spooked me good growing up.... (hehe)

[Hellbender]

To me, the height of arrogance and insensitivity is throwing fast food garbage out of moving vehicles. There should be a special prison for people who do that. With really filthy cells.

I agree. Its wrong on so many levels.