"I will not return my shopping cart to the base. I can't load groceries into the car and then leave my children in the car to return the cart to its designated place. If you have a problem with that, get lost." This TikTok video by Leslie Dobson, a clinical-forensic psychologist living in Los Angeles, has garnered 13 million views in just four weeks.
Viewers accused her of being a 'Karen.' This colloquial term is often used in memes for middle-class white women who use their skin color and class privilege to get things done their way. One person commented on the video, "Oh, this is embarrassing for you, leaving the cart in its place is basic manners."
Another quipped, "What kind of lesson are you teaching your children while sitting in the car?" Meanwhile, unhappy people directly cursed her, saying, "You deserve the disgrace in a civilized society." Her video has now become a shopping cart theory in educational institutions, and people are discussing the inability to control oneself in terms of morality and human civilization, which is being determined by such 'irresponsible' actions.
That was the first part of the video. When Leslie realized that many people had misunderstood her actions, she released a new video two days later, which also went viral, but this time people showed sympathy for her explanation.
Before I tell you what the second video was about, I want to ask all of you: do you leave shopping carts on the street in front of the mall or leave the trolley in the airport parking lot, causing inconvenience to other drivers or wherever you use the trolley?
If so, why? Isn't it our responsibility to take the shopping cart back to the entry gate, where shoppers take them into the mall? Should those providing these facilities have to hire separate people for this?
Now let's talk about Leslie's second video. She said, if you feel unsafe, it becomes necessary to trust your inner voice and protect yourself and your loved ones, disregarding social norms or judgments that become obstacles.
She said her goal was to show that women should not be forced to put themselves or their children in unsafe situations to return the cart. She argued with some statistics that last year 265 children were abducted (the highest in the past ten years), and some were abducted from cars in parking lots because their mothers had to go back to return the shopping cart. Being a single mom, going to return the cart means giving predators an opportunity. She argued that she is trying to prevent such an incident from happening with her 3 and 7-year-old children.
On the other hand, JFK Airport and some malls charge up to 500 rupees ($6) to place the trolley in the designated area. Wherever you leave the trolley, they send employees to pick it up. Even by American standards, this is a lot of money. This has created a division between those who can afford it and those who cannot.
The point is that when we judge others based on their actions and ourselves based on our intentions, don't you think society will remain divided?"
0 Comments