| Comment | The problem of littering isn’t unique to Glasgow. If you look at different areas in the country and in the world where littering is prevalent I think you’ll find a common thread — and it’s inequality. People who are systematically disadvantaged because of their background won’t take care of public spaces, and why should they? The social contract has to be reciprocal. If the state doesn’t ensure an adequate standard of living for certain groups of people, then those people cannot be expected to contribute to a clean public environment. It’s one of the many negative effects of inequality, which is the real issue that needs to be addressed here. People here dismissively saying “well people in Glasgow are just shit” are contributing to the classist notion that poor people are inherently despicable/unpleasant. Instead we should be holding to account the powerful governing institutions that can actually make a change here. But they won’t as long as the people continue irrationally pointing fingers at each other. |
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