Founder flags 'not my problem' mindset after co-passenger litters IndiGo flight
Swapnil Srivastav's X post about his recent IndiGo flight experience highlighted the need for shared civic responsibility and taking accountability regarding keeping public spaces clean.
A post by a startup founder about a small but telling incident on a flight has sparked a wider conversation online about civic sense and everyday responsibility. The account, shared on X, highlights how seemingly minor actions in shared spaces reflect a deeper, more persistent mindset.
Swapnil Srivastav, founder of the sustainable kidswear brand Kidbea, recounted his experience on an IndiGo flight. Seated next to a well-dressed passenger, he noticed something that stayed with him long after the flight ended. “He finishes his snack. Looks at the trash in his hand. And places it on the floor under the seat in front. Not accidentally. Deliberately,” he wrote.
What made the moment more striking was what followed. The cabin crew carried out routine trash collection, but the waste left on the floor went unnoticed. “We landed. His cups and food box were still sitting there on the aircraft floor,” Srivastav noted.
Rather than reacting with anger, he described a quieter, more unsettling emotion. “It wasn’t anger. It was something closer to disappointment. Or maybe exhaustion,” he wrote, pointing to a larger issue that goes beyond one incident.
According to Srivastav, the problem is not about awareness or education. “It’s a ‘whose problem is it’ problem,” he said, arguing that many people treat shared spaces—flights, roads, parks—as someone else’s responsibility. “Someone is paid to clean it. Someone will handle it. Me? I’m just passing through.”
See the post here:
His post has since struck a chord online, with many agreeing that such behaviour reflects a broader cultural pattern. As he put it, “We are all, quietly, setting the standard for each other. Choose the standard you want to live in.”
X users weighed in with their thoughts and most of them agreed with the founder's views.
What are your thoughts on this observation?
A post by a startup founder about a small but telling incident on a flight has sparked a wider conversation online about civic sense and everyday responsibility. The account, shared on X, highlights how seemingly minor actions in shared spaces reflect a deeper, more persistent mindset.
Swapnil Srivastav, founder of the sustainable kidswear brand Kidbea, recounted his experience on an IndiGo flight. Seated next to a well-dressed passenger, he noticed something that stayed with him long after the flight ended. “He finishes his snack. Looks at the trash in his hand. And places it on the floor under the seat in front. Not accidentally. Deliberately,” he wrote.
What made the moment more striking was what followed. The cabin crew carried out routine trash collection, but the waste left on the floor went unnoticed. “We landed. His cups and food box were still sitting there on the aircraft floor,” Srivastav noted.
Rather than reacting with anger, he described a quieter, more unsettling emotion. “It wasn’t anger. It was something closer to disappointment. Or maybe exhaustion,” he wrote, pointing to a larger issue that goes beyond one incident.
According to Srivastav, the problem is not about awareness or education. “It’s a ‘whose problem is it’ problem,” he said, arguing that many people treat shared spaces—flights, roads, parks—as someone else’s responsibility. “Someone is paid to clean it. Someone will handle it. Me? I’m just passing through.”
See the post here:
His post has since struck a chord online, with many agreeing that such behaviour reflects a broader cultural pattern. As he put it, “We are all, quietly, setting the standard for each other. Choose the standard you want to live in.”
X users weighed in with their thoughts and most of them agreed with the founder's views.
What are your thoughts on this observation?
