I think it's a combination of sloth and entitlement. If I may blogwhore, I see the same thing at the park where I play disc golf.

It's a private park, and there's a parking fee. Some people park in the street and walk into the park to avoid paying $3-$5 for parking. Others just dump their litter wherever they like. There are garbage cans at a few of the tees, and throughout the park. But no, they put the stuff behind or under the logs that serve as benches. I guess they figure nobody will notice.

I did. I cleaned up after them once. Next time, I'll ask permission from the park management to put up signs in the hopes of embarrassing at least a few of them to haul their own garbage.

We've raised them to have self esteem, deserved or not. Why shouldn't superior people do what they like?

/sarcasm

Once again, I'm going to say it. It takes parents who care, teachers who care, that icky religion thing (do unto others), or the Marine Corps (fall in, and police the area people) to impart a sense of responsibility to some people. The rest just don't care. Why should they?

My 84 year old grandmother goes ballistic about this stuff. She also can go nine rounds about how people board planes without taking a shower and looking like they just rolled out of bed in their PJ's.

And she doesnt own a pair of jeans either...never has,

Heh. My boyfriend yells at me for picking up after people, but I just can't stand to see crap all over the place. I'm one of those people who busses tables and picks up glasses and bottles in the local pub we go to to shoot pool, just because I'm not comfortable with garbage and debris all over the place. And, no, I don't do it for the free drink the barmaid gives me for helping her! The pub gets so busy at happy hour, she's running around like crazy and doesn't have the time to bus the tables. Takes me a couple of minutes, and I've actually refused a free drink a time or two. I know she appreciates the help, but she doesn't have to give me a free drink every time! o.O

I hate littering outside and only leave things in the theater or airplanes if I honestly forget (I think it's only happened a few times and it's been bottled water so at least it's not gross).

I think maybe people throwing things from their cars is the worst, because aside from the usual display of selfishness and laziness, you already have a container to hold your trash, your car itself (assuming you don't have a trash bag). The stuff you are throwing from your car can hit someone else driving, you could cause an accident. Even with cigarettes on the freeway, if you're driving behind someone flicking out their ashes you get smoldering ash on your windshield and at night you get a temporary flash of sparks in your eyes.

People are horrible pigs. I worked at a movie theater in high school, and some of the stuff left behind in those theaters was not to be believed. The spilled popcorn, drinks, etc. were bad enough, but it sort of goes with the territory, especially for the Disney movie crowd--however, on any given day it was normal to find used tissues, dirty diapers, chewed gum, and other assorted biohazards. Once I found a pair of women's underwear. Used feminine products. And, during the opening screening of Showgirls, wads of "used" napkins, if you know what I mean. And I think you do.

This is not even counting the time I found an adult-sized turd in the sink of the ladies room. No way was that anything but deliberate.

My feeling: If you wouldn't throw it on your own floor, don't throw it on somebody else's.

Your presumption is wrong.

People do trash their own houses.

Immediately after my first furlough from flying for a major airline, I spent four months throwing satellite dishes at the sides of houses in the middle of a Michigan winter.

Roughly a fifth of the houses I went into were filthy.

Sometimes I worry that people who litter have a fundamental disregard for the value of society, what is this world coming to, get off my lawn etc. But really I think that they just don't think, or haven't been taught, about how to behave in public.

For me, the worst is what people do even in a natural setting. I enjoy trout fishing at mountain lakes. Sometimes when I leave these scenic places I have fish in my net. Sadly, I ALWAYS have a net full of soda cans, bait jars, bird's nests of fishing line, etc. One time, I was challenged to a fight after I reminded a guy that dumping fish guts back into the water was illegal, per the signs posted.

Just another example of that part of our nature that leads to the tragedy of the commons.

I was thinking of Amy when I went into Five Guys the other night. There were a few tables pulled together, and just an unbelievable amount of trash all over them. Napkins, peanut shells (and plenty of whole peanuts), a cup at every single seat, and so on. It looked like one of those sci-fi movies where people just disappear. Unbelievable. I really wish I had shown up before the group left.

Okay, if you wouldn't throw it on your boss' floor, if invited there for dinner.

Those are obviously great words to live by.

Unfortunately, some people just don't see it.

My wife's brother's house is reasonably neat, but their cars are distinguishable from dumpsters only by the turn signal.

I wouldn't be surprised if they treat airplanes the same way.

I sure don't get that, but there it is, nonetheless.

Good column. I think most people fall into several categories.
1. Never taught by parents to consider others.
2. Entitlement. I paid for this plane seat restraunt table etc... therefore I can leave it like a shithole if I want.
3. Someone else can do it. I'm too important to be bothered.

By the way the inauguration of the president was a huge mess when people left.

Amy you never cease to amaze me, I read Patrick's column on Salon like I read your blog: knowing that I am learning from someone who is WAY smarter than me. (also I think your commenters are sassy, if I can use that word as a straight male.)

As for slobs, they are everywhere. I haven't traveled much recently, but am about to return to the skies to do my IS consulting shit. I've made a couple of short hops around the US recently, and I will agree that people are feeling entitled when they fly. I think people should listen to this Louis CK clip and take a little time to reflect on their attitude.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETv3NURwLc

We're in the middle of a garbage strike in Toronto, so the entitled brats that are used to having their litter & garbage magically disappear are a bit shocked. From what I've seen, some people are quite comfortable living in their own filth, and others are doing the city's job, and cleaning up after everyone.