I have lived long enough to realize that there are many things that cannot be explained through logic and/or reason. I like to understand things, especially the psychology behind behaviors. My favorite class in college was Ethology. At the time, it was a brand new field of science. Over time, it has helped change the way scientists, researchers and average people understand and view the non-human animals on our planet, which is a very good thing IMHO. Konrad Lorenz was one of the “founders” of ethology, and one of my personal heroes. We read both King Solomon’s Ring and Man and Dog in the class. Had I been able to get a Master’s degree in ethology at my university, I would have continued my education. Oh, well.
Human behavior, of course, has been studied for a very, very long time. I’m not certain we are much closer to understanding just what makes people tick any better now than we did a hundred years ago. I am hoping someone out there in the blogosphere will be able to enlighten me as to one particular practice of humans that completely baffles me.
Recently, I’ve become much more aware of those dark blobs that seem to be everywhere on parking garage pavement and on sidewalks. You know what I’m talking about – discarded chewing gum splotches. After being driven and/or walked over an infinite number of times, they are flattened out and black due to all of the dirt ground into the formerly beige or pink splats. So WHY do people spit their gum on the ground where some unsuspecting person will step on it? Have they never stepped in sticky, gooey gum and had it get stuck to the bottom of their shoe? Have they never tried, unsuccessfully, to remove this nasty stuff from their favorite sneakers or other non-slick sole? Who, in their right mind, would want to step on something infused with the saliva of another person and then have to try to disengage their shoe from said substance? Hello – DO UNTO OTHERS YOU SCHMUCK! If you don’t want your gum, why do you think someone else wants it……….on the bottom of their shoe?
Yes, I read your blog. I hardly ever comment anywhere. We don't have many gum chewers around here, at least I never seem to encounter chewing gum issues like you describe.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know someone reads my ramblings. I don't post on every blog I read, but many that I do get oodles of comments and, I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. And I wish I had something of interest to write as often as you do.
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