I finally stopped judging people's carts after a cashier said something to me

I was in line at the grocery store last month, quietly side-eyeing the guy in front of me with a cart full of frozen dinners and soda. The cashier, an older woman named Carol, leaned over and said, 'His wife just had surgery. He's doing his best.' It hit me hard. I used to make up little stories about people based on their food. Now I just mind my own business and wonder what their real story is. Anyone else catch themselves doing this and have to stop?

3 comments

3 Comments

walker.hayden1mo ago

Watched my friend get visibly annoyed at someone buying a ton of canned soup. Turned out they were stocking a little free pantry for their neighborhood. Really shows you just never know what's going on with people.

the_julia10d ago

Read a study once about how our brains actually get a little dopamine hit from judging others, like a quick little reward for feeling superior. It's literally wired into us, takes real effort to override that.

the_thea1mo ago

Read an article once about a woman who bought a ton of cheap candy and got dirty looks... turns out she was filling goody bags for a kids' shelter birthday party. That story stuck with me. We see one tiny piece of a person's day and make a whole judgment. It's so easy to do but it's pretty mean when you think about it. Carol the cashier was a real one for saying that.