Post 1 using the Writing Idea Generator.
Five days ago, among the repetitious aisles of store number 156 of an outlet chain that sold dozens of variations of four unique products, a man called Werner browsed for desired merchandise. A stranger, perhaps desiring the same merchandise, shopped near Werner. The stranger desired the merchandise but did not desire to pay for it, Werner noted, as the man concealed several unpurchased shelf items in his pockets. Werner stopped thinking about the stranger to focus on shopping and directed his full attention to the specifications on the product packaging before him. Seconds later, a second stranger approached the shelves where Werner had parked himself. The new stranger’s eyes bore the shape of accusation. Even the spacing and frequency of the stranger’s footsteps implied indictment. Werner did not realize feet could reveal a person’s mood.
“Hello?” The stranger did not hesitate to start the interrogation. Unsurprisingly, accusatory.
“Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean, ‘what am I doing,’” Werner responded quizzically. The man gestured toward the stranger in the same aisle, a few yards away, who was examining the packaging on a small electronic device.
“You were shopping next to that person in this aisle. You saw them stealing.”
“And?” Werner was beginning to understand. This was one of those hyper-moral people.
“Stealing’s wrong. You didn’t even pause, you just kept shopping like nothing happened,” the man said. A many-word answer for a one-word question.
“It’s wrong? According to the law, maybe. According to me, no.” Werner paused as an enraged look formed on the man’s face. “It doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t affect me.”
The man barely restrained an outburst. After two deep inhalations, he spoke in a low, stern voice. “He’s stealing. You can’t just let people steal around you, whether it affects you or not.”
“I can, really. The state doesn’t pay me to be a police officer. It’s not my job to enforce the law.”
Werner looked back at the thief to see if he was still there. Just as he looked, the thief placed a small item in his shoe. What a clever person, stealing with his shoe. Werner looked back at his interrogator and drew a circle in the air with his right index finger.
“Besides, you’ve come around full circle and it’s tiring. I should stop thieves. Why? Because it’s wrong. Stealing’s wrong because it’s wrong?”
“How about I put it this way,” the interrogator began, sounding annoyed, “his pilfering does affect you. Those goods are unaccounted for. It’s pure cost, no revenue. The paying customer pays for that extra cost when the prices of all these items go up to pay for extra security or for lost inventory. You pay for his stealing.”
Werner scanned the items before him, those he was intent on purchasing, and grimaced. That sinking feeling that he’d been wrong in his judgment filled his chest. “You’re right,” Werner conceded. “It affects you, me and everyone else.”
“Thank you for realizing that. Now, can we stop this thief?”
“Yes, let’s do it.”
Both men turned toward the thief, full of a fiery passion for justice fueled by moral and utilitarian reasoning. They took a single step in the direction of the thief; the combined sound of their advance resembled a judge dropping the gavel to crush an outburst in court. But there was something wrong. Movement turned to stillness, the fire of passion turned to dying embers as the judges stared at an empty aisle. The thief had fled during their discussion.
“He’s gone,” Werner said monotonously.
“Yes. I really wanted to stop him too.”
“What should we do now?” Werner asked.
“I don’t know. I have some shopping to do.”
“Me too,” Werner said. He then realized that he did not know this person’s name. “What’s your name, by the way?”
“Mackie.”
“I’m Werner. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
Mackie and Werner faced the shelves presenting the store’s goods and stared at them blankly. After awhile, Werner spoke.
“Let’s go to another store. Maybe there are thieves there we can stop.”
“Good idea. Plus, everything in this store looks the same to me. I don’t even know why it’s so big.”
Mackie glanced back at the place where the thief had been stealing as Werner started walking to the end of the aisle. Mackie jogged to catch up to join Werner’s side, and the two navigated the aisles of store 156 of the outlet chain that sold dozens variations of the four unique products until they found the exit door.
-ISM: Moral Internalism
Verb: Park
Device: Conflict
