"Grafitti Made Me Do It, Judge!"
Was just reading about an interesting experiment carried out in Denmark: When a 5 euro note was left visibly hanging out of a mailbox, 13% of passers-by stole it. However, when rubbish was strewn-about on the ground around the mail-box, 25% of passers-by stole the 5 euros. And, when the mail-box was covered in graffiti, 27% stole it!
In a second experiment, a sign was placed on a gate asking people not to go through it and not to chain bicycles to the adjacent fence. 27% of people went through the gate anyway. However, when a bicycle was chained to the fence, 82% of people went through it. (If one rule has already been broken, it's ok to break another?)
Maybe Rudy Giuliani had a point with his broken windows!
In a second experiment, a sign was placed on a gate asking people not to go through it and not to chain bicycles to the adjacent fence. 27% of people went through the gate anyway. However, when a bicycle was chained to the fence, 82% of people went through it. (If one rule has already been broken, it's ok to break another?)
Maybe Rudy Giuliani had a point with his broken windows!
Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path