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If you've lived in any sort of urban environment, you know to not get involved in other peoples disputes.

Moreover, you know not to initiate disputes... especially where they are not warranted.

How effective is the lesson of ranting at a litterbug?
It puts them on the defensive- difficult to teach them anything then.
Why not smile, say "Oh- that'll go right here", and pick it up without further communication and put it in the trash bin?


So your solution is to act snide and then be a happy, acquiescent little maid? Brilliant. Much better than directly confronting the problem.

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It's not my job to teach others how I want them to behave in my society. Even if it is, the best method is certainly not direct, abusive confrontation.


I think it's kinda telling that you assume "tirade" is abusive (though the dictionary does include "angry" in the definition). What's sad is that you think direct confrontation is not the way to deal with a problem. Should we just pussyfoot around the subject, then? Maybe we should sit down with armed robbers and have dialogue? Just let litterbugs and criminals have their way and then play happy nursemaid? Not for me, thanks.

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There's a chip and a shoulder around here somewhere...


No, I don't think that's quite accurate. That would imply that someone is looking for problems, daring someone to do something. Not the case here. In fact, the statement is right in line with the kind of behavior being lauded in this thread by the majority: subtle implication or inaction rather than direct, clear statements or actions. But again, it's the kind of argument I've come to expect from people looking for a way to justify their failure to act when action is called for. Just like hinting that someone who does choose to act must be Republican, or would do whatever their government tells them to, etc, etc....

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Couldn't Jon have whipped out a camera and gathered evidence for the police? What if we all had that idea pop into our heads instead of 'I'm gonna give that turd what he deserves!!'?


Actually, I'm not as much finding fault with Jon (who admits he was surprised he didn't do anything, as he felt he would in that situation) as I am with all the cheering his inaction has garnered.
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Dave