Marek Sotak
In Czech Republic, this is how you threat people, so they don't do bad things...
... in public, that is. Here's the deal; everyone wants to do things that seem convenient for themselves, if detrimental for others. Running the yellow, for instance, or smoking in the bus shelter, or littering or, my favourite - shoveling snow/blowing leaves out onto the road.
We confabulate all kinds of justifications for this kind of short-sighted, self-centred mentality; we don't want to believe there are broader consequences to our actions, because we don't want to be bothered with social responsibility.
It's ever been thus. While in small, close-knit communities it's been an easier task for the collective to enforce some collectively-responsible behaviours (the shivaree being an example). In dense urban settings, there has been less connectivity and therefore, less accountability. This hasn't been great, as we've seen the need for an increase of public servants - police, street-cleaners, etc. to clean up after our shortsightedly, socially irresponsible selves.
Yet we complain about taxation and too many people on the public payroll.
So how might we reinforce that notion of collective responsibility and accountability on sustainable footing in dense urban settings?
Here's one example of why the people who think they can live like Rob Ford's days are numbered. It's not Big Brother you need to fear, so much as it is your neighbour.
In the best possible fashion, though - because by encouraging good social etiquette, they are making everyone's world better - yours included.
It's a common ground thing.
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