Cookie dilemma

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Today at the supermarket I met up with a small moral dilemma that I thought interesting enough to mention here.

I picked up and looked at a package of Oreo Dunkers, which are Oreo cookies in a long oval shape for dunking. I put the package back, then picked up a package of normal Oreos to purchase. As I did so, I knocked the Dunkers package off the shelf and onto the floor. The corner hit the ground and obviously broke some of the cookies inside.

My immediate reaction was to put the Dunkers back and keep my intact Oreos. I walked three aisles away and then became overwhelmed with guilt. I ran back and took the damaged package instead. I kept thinking of children being disappointed at not being able to dunk their Dunkers.

Am I crazy? Was I responsible for the broken cookies, or was my guilt center on overdrive? I felt much better knowing I had "done the right thing".

[Mousey Girl]

It was a little bit of both. I must admit that I have done the same thing.

[flippyshark]

It was kind of you to take the broken package. On the other hand, by posting this, you have made me want to run out and buy dunkable Oreos. (it doesn't take much.)

I wouldn't want to dunk them, mind you. i just want to check out what it's like to eat a differently-shaped Oreo.

[wendybeth]

I used to just eat the insides, so the shape really doesn't matter. I will say that while I am generally a very guilty person (raised Catholic) I would not feel guilty about breaking a few cookies. If a store employee was standing there I might take the broken ones, but I totally would ditch them in another aisle.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

I will say that while I am generally a very guilty person...

Ooooh. I want to know if wendybeth meant she's guilty of a lot of juicy things or if she is guilt ridden about a lot of minor things...

----

My mantra for myself: Guilt is a useless emotion. (I think that's a New Order song title...)

If it was me, I guess there would have been a little guilt. But that would fade because I didn't do it on purpose. I probably would have put it back or told someone about it, but I wouldn't feel obligated to buy it.

As for the hypothetical kid that would have received broken Oreos... Well, children need to learn about disappointment. Sometimes cookies break. Life's tough, junior. If you left it, you may have taught a child a valuable lesson.

(ie. After we told a husband and wife that their daughter shouldn't pet Frodo while he was on-leash, the husband let the kid do it any way. The kid began to poke Frodo in the face. Frodo snarled and barked at her. The kid cried. We felt horrible, but we told them not to let the kid pet him and they let her do it any way. So I didn't feel too bad. The kid was fine. Not only that, the kid learned that not all dogs are Lassies. Some are short legged Cujos... )

[BarTopDancer]

I probably would have done the same thing.

If I knocked something off the shelf that I had no intention of buying I have brought it up to the store with my stuff and explained that I knocked it off the shelf, and it broke. They probably put it back on the shelf but I felt like I did the right thing.

[lindyhop]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

If I knocked something off the shelf that I had no intention of buying I have brought it up to the store with my stuff and explained that I knocked it off the shelf, and it broke. They probably put it back on the shelf but I felt like I did the right thing.

Even if that was the brand you wanted you shouldn't feel any obligation to buy the broken ones. But letting the store know about that package is just common courtesy to them and any customers coming after you. Stuff gets spilled all the time and stores are used to dealing with it.

What concerns me more is the necessity of Oreos in a more streamlined shape for dunking. Just pour your milk into a decent sized glass for heavens sake. There are so many products that fulfill a need that never existed. Case in point are Go-Tarts which I'm embarassed to say are on a shelf in my kitchen. Apparently too many people complained about the lack of portability of regular Pop-Tarts.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by lindyhop

Even if that was the brand you wanted you shouldn't feel any obligation to buy the broken ones. But letting the store know about that package is just common courtesy to them and any customers coming after you. Stuff gets spilled all the time and stores are used to dealing with it.

It's not going to bother me over taking a package with a few broken cookies. Broken cookies taste just as good as unbroken cookies. And they don't have calories since they all fell out when the cookie broke.

I was at Henrys a few weeks ago, opened up a container to get some bulk item and knocked a bottle of Italian soda off the shelf.

Apparently too many people complained about the lack of portability of regular Pop-Tarts.

Well duh! They were too wide to be portable!

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by lindyhop

Apparently too many people complained about the lack of portability of regular Pop-Tarts.

I blame Apple Computers and the evolution of the iPod - expect Nano iTarts in your future.

Oh, and I would totally ditch the broken cookies.

[Not Afraid]

My biggest complaint about different shapes of the same product is that there is less room for the obscure stuff I still like once in a while. Where's my Flakey Flix?

Oh, and taking the broken whatever to a stock person or cashier is the obvious thing to do. It's not like anyone breaks things on purpose.