The Cartdemic meme refers to the widespread visual phenomenon of abandoned shopping carts found in unusual locations, ranging from deep in parking lots to residential sidewalks and creeks. It gained significant traction through the 'Shopping Cart Theory,' which proposes that returning a cart is the ultimate litmus test for a person's capacity for self-governance, as there is no legal requirement to do so but it is objectively 'the right thing to do.' Users often use the term Cartdemic to highlight the perceived breakdown of social order or to post humorous photos of carts 'in the wild' as if they were invasive species. This meme serves as both a social commentary on communal responsibility and a hilarious observation of modern consumerist clutter.