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A comment on You can't optimize your way to being a good person. Parent comment

Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by jimt1234 on Tuesday January 07, 2025 @03:04PM (#42626750)
100% ... In my life, I accepted a while back that I don't have to solve world hunger or cure cancer in order to be a good person - just be as courteous to others as I can; focus on the little things. For example, I always park my car in the back of parking lots (or otherwise far away) because I'm perfectly capable of walking, while others might struggle. Is that gonna get me a Nobel prize? Certainly not. But I like to think that, sometimes, maybe once per year, a person who struggles with mobility, like an elderly person or someone with an injury, is gonna struggle just a little bit less because I parked out back. No one's gonna build a statue of me for this, but if it helps just one person, that's a good thing. And it's really not that difficult for me to walk an extra 50 yards. LOL

(Edit to correct spelling: Nobel, not Noble. LOL)

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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by 0cf8612b2e1e on Tuesday January 07, 2025 @03:25PM (#42627017)
I selfishly park in the back because I hate circling the lot looking for a spot. It may/nor be more time efficient on average, but I do not have to deal with that frustration just to save a few steps.
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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by sowerssix on Tuesday January 07, 2025 @06:43PM (#42629097)
I selfishly park back a little ways myself, simply because far too many parking lots aren't designed for a full-size pickup. The extra steps are definitely worth the frustration saved for me, as well.
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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by Cthulhu_ on Tuesday January 14, 2025 @08:32AM (#42696938)
It reminds me of the three great virtues of a programer; laziness, impatience and hubris [0].

[0] https://wiki.c2.com/?LazinessImpatienceHubris

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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by energy123 on Tuesday January 07, 2025 @07:10PM (#42629335)
"Do no harm" is a far better precept than "be courteous". Lots of harm has been done by courteous people that I'm sure were perfectly lovely to their inner circle and local neighborhood.
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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by rurp on Wednesday January 08, 2025 @12:55PM (#42636692)
This is a good habit for any able bodied person to get into. Not only can it help out someone who needs a closer spot, it doesn't even cost you time on average since you're less likely to be held up by traffic getting in or out of the spot. Plus adding a little more walking into the day is healthy.

I always shake my head at healthy people who block the traffic lane for minutes waiting for someone to load groceries and free up a specific spot, when there are dozens of open spots 40 ft away. Their laziness isn't even saving them any time or aggravation.

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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by S_Bear on Thursday January 09, 2025 @04:32PM (#42649990)
I'm crippled and have a handicap tag for my car, but I'll still park in the back, depending on the store. Trying to get out of handicap spots at Target, Trader Joes, or Costco is always a nightmare because people have no patience.
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Re:You can't optimize your way to being a good person by Cthulhu_ on Tuesday January 14, 2025 @08:30AM (#42696917)
And in your case, there's probably going to be other people that park somewhere they shouldn't, but... that's their choice and ultimately their moral burden. Like not returning shopping trolleys.
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