Debatable is a column written by the Otago University Debating Society. The Debating Society welcomes new members and meets at the Business School every Tuesday at 6pm.
For
So you got on the piss and lost your wallet. The only person at fault here is you. You should learn to take better care of your shit – and what better way to learn this lesson than to have to pay for your belongings’ safe return for the humble price of a box? It’s not uncommon to offer payment for lost items. Just think of the amounts offered by the owners of lost pets, or police for wanted criminals. The person who’s posted on Facebook with your ID (nice pic btw) is doing you a favour, and it’s only fair to show a bit of gratitude for once in your life.
The process of being forced to exchange a box for the return of some possession is also likely to be humbling. In this humbling experience, you can gain an understanding of the true dog-eat-dog nature of the North Dunedin free market. This in turn will hopefully turn you into a more responsible person who doesn't lose their wallet. There are of course more direct and easier paths towards becoming more responsible, but who are we kidding? You're a student drinking in North D.
The cost of a box is relatively small compared to the prospect of replacing your lost items. If you are feeling particularly resentful about the prospect of handing over a box, just think: no one’s specifying what kind of box. You could always make it a box of Vodka Cruisers. That way, both sides walk away feeling ripped off. Equality, baby.
And as much as you like to moan about it, the idea of demanding a box of alcohol for the return of someone's student ID is just objectively funny. It's something that will only happen in Dunedin, and it's relatively benign compared to our other so-called “traditions”.
Against
It's the Sunday morning of Re-O Week. You wake up dusty and, in need of a Powerade and a pie, you’re already halfway out the door headed to the Dundas dairy when you realise you've lost your wallet. Stressful hours go by as you attempt to retrace your steps from the previous night, until finally you receive a Facebook notification – one of your friends has tagged you in a post. “Found on Castle, box on return,” it reads.
Faced with the unenviable choice of a returned wallet for the price of a box, or leaving the fate of your wallet to the good graces of a random North D breatha, most people will choose the former. The question remains: is this truly a fair deal? Of course not.
Most students (rich JAFAs living on Castle excluded) aren’t in the most stable financial situation. While a box isn't an enormous cost, it's still an expense that could otherwise be avoided. Forcing people to pay to reclaim their own possessions is just plain shitty, and the naming and shaming of these people on Facebook does little to improve their situation. And lowkey, it’s theft. You're holding someone's possessions hostage for a small gain.
Lastly, it’s a self-perpetuating cycle that, by engaging with, you're likely to be burnt by later down the track. When you’ve got a population of students pissing up together on a regular basis, it’s inevitable that personal belongings will become lost in the process. By demanding a box for the return of a wallet or ID, you’re not being very neighbourly. And by the way, if it's just a lost ID, the cost of replacing it will be cheaper than buying a box. You may also retain a shred of dignity that way.