The title might make it sound like I’m complaining about rules — quite the opposite. I genuinely don’t get why people in our country can’t follow the most basic everyday rules. Let me give a few simple examples.

In Istanbul, on the metro platform there are two lines next to where the train stops. Those lines are there so people queue properly. But what actually happens: everybody piles into the middle section where people are trying to get off. Even if someone wants to follow the rule, there are so many people not following it that — naturally — the rule-followers can’t follow it either; there’s literally no room left to do it.

Here’s an oddly specific one: people don’t even queue at Friday prayer exits. OK, I can sort of get the metro chaos. The bank queue. I’ll even half-accept queue-jumping for a friend at university. But at least don’t do it in a mosque. Isn’t that, in its own way, a violation of someone else’s right — taking someone’s spot in line?

The thing one should fear most in this world is wronging another person — and yet not many of us pay attention to it. For example: when I buy a piece of gum, my conscience won’t even let me toss the wrapper on the street. Just because there are municipal workers cleaning the streets, does that mean we should throw everything on the ground? Or, when smoking, drop the cigarette butt without even putting it out and walk off? Those are also a form of taking from others — and from our shared environment.

There are certain rules. Even if the people around you aren’t following them, try to follow them yourself. At least try. I’m not a rule-obsessed person — but on things like not violating each other’s rights and keeping our shared environment clean, life would be so much better if we all paid a little more attention.