The little intrusive voice that ever so often tells you to do very questionable things that you wouldn’t ever consider otherwise has a sibling. Yeah, you know the little voice that follows said questionable actions, telling you to make things right again and do better in the future?
People have given these two voices their own identities throughout the years. The devil and angel sitting on your shoulders, the ever-unsettled duality of man, the temptation and the moral obligation, the headache and the other headache.
One person came in between these voices; first following through with the negative urge to steal, but then getting slammed with guilt and shame from the other side of the pendulum, forcing them to right the wrong. And so they did—in one of the most hilarious and wholesome ways possible. Let’s get into it!
More info: Reddit
A Reddit user named mikehimself29 went to work as usual, only to find a little handwritten note shoved under his office door
Image credits: mikehimself29
Don’t you just love finding notes on your doorstep, or your desk, or under your coffee mug? A secret admirer confessing their feelings for you! Maybe a drawing of a cat! A fantastic meme your office bestie found and printed! Or, it’s a confession letter of a dastardly deed committed.
A Reddit user with the name mikehimself29 posted to a group called “MadeMeSmile” a little handwritten note he found on the floor under his office door upon coming to work. Say that three times fast… Along with the note came a whopping $6. The crude piece of paper told a very interesting story of the human moral dilemma and the triumph of what is right.
The crude piece of paper told a very interesting story of a moral dilemma which seemed to have happened right next to the person’s workspace
Image credits: Nicholas Jones (not the actual photo)
The author of the note, who hadn’t signed their name, seems to be either a child or young teen, although other Reddit users have theorized that it could have been a 30- to 40-year-old man as well. They were watching a game practice in the arena the previous Tuesday when they noticed something a tad bit more interesting.
Someone was stealing a packet of pop tarts from the vending machine by putting their hand up the collection slot. It’s simple, but it works! It appeared that the author wasn’t the sole witness of this act, yet the others seemed to be fans of the thief’s work.
They dared the author to steal something from the vending machine as well, and they obliged. Shoving their arm into the tight slot, they were successful in nabbing a packet of crackers, which they then proceeded to munch on. Yet, the saltiness that came with the forbidden treats would pale in comparison to their bitter conscience.
The person did not reveal their name or age. Many speculated that it could be a child, young teen, or middle-aged man. Here are the contents of the note:
Image credits: mikehimself29
Mikehimself29 posted the note in a Reddit group called “MadeMeSmile” and has since garnered 81.8k upvotes, as well as hundreds of comments
Image credits: Jamal Fanaian (not the actual photo)
The “terrible decision” seemed to haunt the author, the crumbs of the finished snack a horrid reminder of the crime they had committed. They decided enough was enough; they’d had enough turmoil and took full responsibility for their actions.
They went back to the crime scene, found mikehimself29’s office and left the note, along with $6 to compensate for both the crackers and the pop tarts someone else had nabbed. “I take full responsibility for my decision. I promise I will never do it again. I will also set a better example. I am very sorry,” they wrote.
With their conscience cleared and their debt repaid, all was well in the world once again. The post has since garnered 81.8k upvotes, as well as hundreds of comments, with some even telling stories of how they fixed their own wrongdoings.
Dozens of people were inspired to share their own stories of moral enlightenment and how they came to doing the right thing
It is time we dive deep into what no one asked for when they clicked on the article—psychoanalysis and the understanding of the conscience. According to G. Vithoulkas and D.F. Muresanu, the concept of “conscience” is the inherent ability of every healthy human to perceive what is right and what is wrong and, on the strength of this perception, to control their actions. More than just ‘gut instinct,’ our conscience is a ‘moral muscle.’
It is widely agreed that, on a philosophical level, the concept of free will is very closely connected to the concept of moral responsibility. We can decide to act in accordance with or against our conscience at any given moment, yet what is morally right still very much depends on what is socially acceptable.
Experts note that it’s only when the “common good” is put above “self-interest” that we see the highest levels of conscience at work. Consequently, the more we tame our passions by distancing ourselves from basic instincts, the more our conscience evolves.
The concept of “conscience” is the ability to perceive what is right and what is wrong and, on the strength of this perception, to control their actions
Image credits: Monochrome (not the actual photo)
When faced with a situation that follows self-interest rather than the common good, such as we saw in the story, the action that brings the greatest inner release of all negative feelings is confession in a kind of public situation. It brings about feelings of rejuvenation and release, like a masseuse hitting that one tight muscle just right.
But why do we feel discomfort in the first place? Shouldn’t we just be able to take actions without a second thought or backtracking? Why must we overthink, the two voices fighting one another? I guess we are not completely rational creatures who act only on the basis of logic and intelligence.
More than just ‘gut instinct,’ our conscience is a ‘moral muscle.’ When “common good” is put above “self-interest” we see the highest levels of conscience at work
Image credits: ashish joy (not the actual photo)
One of Sigmund Freud’s most acknowledged ideas was his theory of personality, proposing that the human psyche is composed of three separate but interacting parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The three parts develop at different times and play different roles in personality, but work together to form the whole human being.
The id embodies the unconscious and encompasses the most primitive part of the personality, including basic biological drives and reflexes, wanting to gratify impulses immediately. The second part of the personality, the ego, arises from the id. Its job is to acknowledge and deal with reality, working to satisfy the id’s desires in the most reasonable and socially acceptable ways.
The superego is the final part of the personality. The superego is the moral compass of the personality. It forbids unacceptable behaviors and punishes a person with feelings of guilt when they do something they shouldn’t. Furthermore, it rewards one with a feeling of pride if morality rules are adhered to.
Looking at this, we can say that much of our behavior is not self-determined: our choices are constrained by rules, obligations, and prohibitions, coming from either our own beliefs or societal expectations.
It may seem like the logical choice is to punch someone in the face, yet the consequences of such actions may be a bit more dire than just a guilty conscience.
We hope that the author of the letter has found peace in knowing that their debt has been repaid and hope that the original poster spends those $6 wisely
Image credits: edkohler (not the actual photo)
So what can we learn from all of this? We as a species are prone to making mistakes, but it's the actions that follow them that make a difference!
We hope that the author of the letter has found peace in knowing that their debt has been repaid and that their little letter made us all feel a little better, and that the original poster spends those $6 wisely. Don’t wanna be misplacing good karma just anywhere!
Let us know your thoughts on this story and share your experiences with the figures upon your shoulders. Don’t forget to upvote, and I shall see you in the next one!
People absolutely loved this little story of redemption. All thanks to some crackers and a pop tart! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
