Today's society will ignore almost any form of public behavior

The words of Paul Sweeney, “Today's society will ignore almost any form of public behavior except getting in the express line with two extra items,” strike with wit, but beneath the humor lies a sobering reflection on human nature. In this saying, he reminds us that in a world where grave injustices often pass unnoticed, the fiercest outrage is sometimes reserved for the smallest of infractions. The express line, meant for speed and order, becomes a stage where impatience and judgment flare, while far weightier matters fade into indifference. Thus, the quote is not merely about groceries, but about the strange priorities of society and the blindness of the human heart.

The origin of this truth lies in the nature of everyday life. In ancient marketplaces, as in modern supermarkets, order was precious and time was guarded fiercely. The slightest disruption of fairness—someone cutting a line, someone taking what seemed not theirs—could provoke anger greater than crimes committed in the shadows. Sweeney, through jest, points to a paradox: people often endure corruption, dishonesty, and even injustice in silence, but they will rage at a neighbor for breaking the unwritten covenant of the queue. The express line becomes a mirror of misplaced passion, where minor breaches overshadow greater wrongs.

History gives us striking examples of this imbalance. Consider Ancient Rome, where citizens sometimes turned a blind eye to the decay of their Republic, the rise of emperors, and the erosion of liberty. Bread was distributed, games were provided, and life seemed to go on. Yet the same people would riot with fury if the grain supply was delayed or if the line to receive food was disrupted. They ignored tyranny until it crushed them, but they could not endure the smallest insult to their daily comfort. In the fury of the crowd, we see again Sweeney’s insight: what is small becomes enormous when it touches personal inconvenience, while what is great is ignored when it seems distant.

And yet, Sweeney’s observation is not only satire but a warning. For if a people reserve their passion only for trivialities, they grow weak in the face of true evils. If we rage at the shopper with “two extra items” but remain silent at corruption in government, exploitation in labor, or destruction of the earth, then we have inverted the order of justice. The soul becomes disordered when impatience outweighs compassion, when small offenses ignite us but great wrongs leave us unmoved.

The meaning of his words is, therefore, a mirror held up to us all. It is not that one should ignore the small breaches of courtesy or fairness, but that one must learn to see them in proportion. A society obsessed with petty grievances but indifferent to greater injustices becomes like a household that fusses over spilled water while its roof collapses in rain. The express line teaches us to laugh, yes—but also to ask: what battles do we choose to fight, and what battles do we choose to ignore?

The lesson for us is clear: let us re-order our passions. Be patient in the face of small annoyances, and save your strength for the struggles that matter. When tempted to anger at trivial inconveniences, ask yourself: do I show the same fire when faced with cruelty, injustice, or lies? A wise society does not ignore the small things, but it gives its fiercest energy to the great ones. For the health of a people is measured not by their queues, but by their courage to confront what truly destroys them.

Practical actions flow naturally. The next time you feel the rising heat of frustration in a line, practice patience and laugh at the frailty of human order. Save your voice for defending those who are silenced, your indignation for injustices that wound lives, your energy for causes that endure beyond the checkout counter. Teach yourself and your children to see the difference between inconvenience and injustice, between irritation and oppression. In this way, you will not only live more peacefully, but you will also direct your strength toward shaping a nobler world.

Thus let Paul Sweeney’s words endure, not only as humor but as parable: society must not waste its spirit on trivial offenses while ignoring deeper wrongs. Let us reverse the order—gentle in small things, fierce in great things—and in so doing, become not a people of petty grievances, but a people of justice, wisdom, and proportion.