I also cannot stand the litter everywhere, in the city in the countryside, everywhere. No, it is not part of their (Argentine) DNA, but it is part of their culture. Sometimes culture can change, as someone pointed out earlier, there was a lot more litter in the U.S. (than there is now) in the 1960's for example. But through education, advertising campaigns (I remember the "Indian" commercial well), peer pressure and stiff penalties that were enforced, there is much less liter in the U.S and most people would not think of throwing something out of their car window or dropping a candy wrapper on the sidewalk. Why do people litter, because they can and they feel it has no impact on them.
It is just like why do people here drive on the shoulders of the autopista? The more appropriate question here is why would you not drive on the shoulder? My thinking goes something like this; well, it is illegal (but it is not enforced), well, I don't want other drivers to think I am a jerk (most other drivers would not think that), and finally, because it can be dangerous! (oh, I am invincible, nothing will happen to me). So I repeat, when the mentality is more like what I put in the parenthesis, why would you not drive on the shoulder? Change the mentality, change the culture.
It is just like why do people here drive on the shoulders of the autopista? The more appropriate question here is why would you not drive on the shoulder? My thinking goes something like this; well, it is illegal (but it is not enforced), well, I don't want other drivers to think I am a jerk (most other drivers would not think that), and finally, because it can be dangerous! (oh, I am invincible, nothing will happen to me). So I repeat, when the mentality is more like what I put in the parenthesis, why would you not drive on the shoulder? Change the mentality, change the culture.
