How Moral Are Your Motives ? Honestly !

[livi]

So, I wake up this morning and look out my window, just in time, to catch my neighbor dumping her dog-poo bag in my trash bin! I had put it out for emptying by the sidewalk last night. I was kind of perplexed. Not that she did it perhaps, it was a very small bag and I would not have minded. It was the way she behaved going about it.

Obviously she had been out walking her two dogs in the morning. Further obvious had they done what was expected of them. Very morally commendable she had proceeded to pick it up in a small dog-poo bag. So far so good.

Now she passes my house and suddenly notice my trash bin out by the road side. She slows down, undecided for a split second when a thought begins to form in her (not very pretty) head.

And here comes what made me think (and wright this post). She makes a halt by the bin and..takes a very sneaky peak around her shoulder and into my garden. Apparently to make sure the coast is clear and her little cunning plan is not to be noticed! She then proceeds by quickly opening the lid, dropping in the bag, closing and then - rather hastily- putting a distance between herself and my property.

All in all no big deal then. The point being the way she went about her little less moral feat. She was ready to perform it as long as she was fairly certain not to get caught. And herein lies my question to you. Are you prepared to act less morally in a situation depending on whether you might get caught or not? Searching my own conscience, I will have to permit I would. Not awfully unmoral doings but still.

[RoninLB]

you're asking pelicanheads to measure their own humanity.

good luck

[legion]

I don't know where you got the idea that I have any moral motivations, but I suggest you stop this slander at once!

[legion]

Libel! It's libel!

[Mule]

Dude, if you have time to consider this issue, life for you is either too easy or too boring.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by livi

(not very pretty) head.

That is outrageous! I would have her arrested! Here in the States we do not allow ugly, poo slinging women to travel uncloaked, at least during daylight.

Seriously Marcus, you might want to look a little deeper into the psychology of this matter. Who would you rather have as a neighbor - someone who thinks it might be considered "naughty" to place the offending satchel in your garbage can, or someone who doesn't give a damn and callously tosses it in while waving good morning to you?

Let's start at the begining - it's really no big deal to throw a bag of crap in a garbage can is it? Now, your neighbor seems to care about what you think. She probably thinks it's no biggy to do what she did (I happen to agree) but she doesn't want to offend you. So she snuck it in. Yeah, one could make the point that she could just toss it in her own garbage can and spare herself the anxiety, but as a dog walker, I understand the urgency to dispose of the "bag o doo".

I guess I'm happy to hear of someone who at least understands civil behavior, if not acting (or doesn't act) upon it. I encounter callous people every day who are so self centered that it doesn't even occur to them that their behavior could be wrong.

I would cut her some slack. I probably would even chide her about it a bit next time I meet her (not making eye contact---brrrrrrrrr!) on the street. I would put her on the spot a bit and then let her off the hook. Have a little fun with it. Don't fester.

[NICKG]

oddly, i would appreciate that move by your neighbor, at least she did not leave it on the ground, what matter if it is in my garbage, as long as it is in the garbage. I like to think of myself as a pretty morally driven person, and that i think as much about others as me...

[84porsche]

Was it trash day or would you have to smell it for a week everytime you put your trash in the can?

[stomachmonkey]

I think Livi was OK with his bin being used.

His real question is would you try to get away with something that you knew was wrong if you thought you could get away with it.

Tough one, me, generally no. I have fairly high moral standards.

[Evans, Marv]

I usually act just as morally in the absence of others as otherwise. Having said that, should we suggest to him the old dog poop in the burning sack trick? Maybe he already knows about that.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Markus, there's really only one appropriate response. You must now go take a dump in her trash can.

[widebody911]

>So, I wake up this morning and look out my window, just in time, to catch my neighbor dumping her dog-poo bag in my trash bin! I had put it out for emptying by the sidewalk last night.

I fail to see what is wrong with this. If she was filling up your trash can early in the garbage week, or emptying it out on the sidewalk looking for treasure - then yes, I'd see an issue.

[Noah930]

Why be sneaky about this? Like Marcus has pointed out, it's far better to pick up after your dog, than let someone's shoe find the little prize. The trash is going to be picked up later in the morning, too, so it's not like the stuff's gonna sit around and ferment for a week. So what's wrong with disposing of the bag-o-poo in a neighbor's trashcan? Why should she (livi's neighbor) feel any shame in the matter (which, I'm presuming, is why she felt the need to do it sneakily)? Weird.

[Joeaksa]

One of my neighbours sometimes dumps her trash in my bin. If I find it I take it back to her yard and leave it there. She usually gets the message...

Joe

[Noah930]

That's a little different, Joe.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Joe didn't mention that he also tears open the bag, and uses the trash to spell obscene words on her yard.

[M.D. Holloway]

So as I understand the question:

"If I could get away with something, would I do it if it was morally objectionable?"

I define moarlity as a personal behavior compass as opposed to ethics which is based more on a social behavior.

This is a tough one because there are actions that I have done which are not completely moral and yet I have done them because I knew or at least believed I would not get caught. Then there are those activities that I did when I just didn't think about the ramifications.

It seems like the older I get, the less objectionable things I do - I can't say I'm more moral now but maybe just a bit more lazy.

Doing the wrong thing takes energy. If nothing else, the years have taught me that doing what is right is actually easier and takes less energy overall than what is wrong if you take into the account for the feelings of guilt. remorse and worry that comes with doing the wrong things.

[kach22i]

Climb on top of her trash bin, drop your pants and take a nasty dump.

That will teach her.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

His real question is would you try to get away with something that you knew was wrong if you thought you could get away with it.

If that was the question, the answer is "No." I'm in a position where I could easily get away with doing dastardly things such as overbilling, theft, etc. It never even occurs to me. Am I perfect? No. Do I try to be? Yes.

My point is, I'll bet she didn't think it was wrong as much as she didn't want to be thought a nuisance.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by NICKG

oddly, i would appreciate that move by your neighbor, at least she did not leave it on the ground, what matter if it is in my garbage, as long as it is in the garbage. I like to think of myself as a pretty morally driven person, and that i think as much about others as me...

+1 Most of my neighbors are great, but a few walk their dog to the park and pass my house along the way. I'd be very happy if they put it in my trash instead of leaving it on the sidewalk. I can only assume that if the dog does make it down to the park that it's not picked up there either.

As far as the sneakiness - her actions remind me of a child. Too bad you didn't tap on the window and wave while she was in the act.