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Is it ever OK to steal?
**helen**
Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
And if yes - in what circumstances?
What kind of theft does the most damage?
What kind of theft does the least damage?
Is there any theft that happens that is legal?
:chin:
What kind of theft does the most damage?
What kind of theft does the least damage?
Is there any theft that happens that is legal?
:chin:
0
Comments
It's a very very fine line between when it's acceptable or not. I think theft will always be wrong, but you could be justified in certain circumstances. Perhaps a homeless child starving on the street taking an apple? You can always have an endless discussion about things like that, but whilst it's a very fine line, it's a grey line. Different things to different people.
I think the kind of theft that does the most damage would be something that is irreplaceable, or highly sentimental, but also combined with that feeling of un safety. If people get burgled, the damage of feeling insecure and not safe can sometimes be worse.
I don't think that theft can ever be legal, as if its theft then you would consider it to be a crime, ie the definition of the word. Otherwise you would use a word other than theft.
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Because I stole a sweet when I was little, ohmmm it was a penny sweet as well!
I agree with mostly everything G-raffe has said!
I'd say the worst kind of theft is burglary/stealing from friends/family or large scale fraud. These kind of things can ruin people's lives in more ways than one.
A starving homeless person stealing a loaf of bread from Tesco/Asda does relatively little damage to anyone....
I'd say it's never right to steal, but for some people it's sometimes necessary.
I think the theft that does the worst damage is the kind that takes advantage of people's kindness, for example someone saying they need to make an urgent call and asking to borrow your phone, then running away with it. Burglary might harm a few people mentally (the ones that got burgled) but this kind hurts the entire society: it makes people afraid to be kind and at the same time makes it more difficult for people who genuinely need help to find it.
As for when it's legal... well, that depends on one's definition of theft. You may say that theft includes illegality in its definition, in which chase it's impossible for it to be legal. Other people may think that something like taxes is a kind of theft, for example.
I think if its ok to steal when your needs are greater than the potential consequences I.e. life or death situations. I do sometimes understand when people use that justification for stealing from huge companies - that their individual needs are greater than that of the company, but if everyone thought the same it then means that the company has losses which it passes back on to their paying customers. I guess these are thefts which do have the least damage.
I think charitable embezzlement does the most damage. Not just to those who benefit from the charity but also the morale of those working in the charity and its reputation. Thefts which can put someone's life at risk or greatly affect them (asides those mentioned) are just as bad in my eyes - stealing copper from school roofs so that schools are closed for days, sometimes weeks, stealing medical supplies, etc.
I guess you can legally steal someone's heart!!
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Ok, again bad examples. I know many people might do some of those things with the intention of doing over the man, but its also meeting their wants. But there also something to be said about fair access to cultural media - the cinemas price many people out of watching a film, and CDs are still fairly expensive. Yes that's not a life or death situation, but article 27 of the universal declaration of human rights states:
" (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. "
That could be interpreted in various ways, but I think saying that everyone should have fair and free access to the arts is one of them.
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I'd love to see burglars/robbers locked up for a hell of a lot longer than they are. As for other kinds of theft, it's difficult to quantify. Would I treat a homeless man who's stolen a pasty differently to a man who's stolen a basketful of meat? Most certainly.
As like I said, the article from the universal Declaration of human rights can be interpreted in various ways.
I think it's ok to steal when you need to. Like nicking a sleeping bag or some food if you're homeless and skint or whatever. Obviously the ideal situation would be people not being in that situation in the first place, but anyway.
I think theft that does the most damage is that from charities, because it's more difficult for them to make up what's lost, whether it's in products from charity shops or people involved in the charity siphoning off large quantities of money. It used to make me really sad when I had friends who stole shit from Oxfam and the like
Theft that does the least damage is from big businesses like Tesco's I think, where really a vast amount of stuff would have to be stolen to make a difference to profits or to prices for other customers.
I'd say theft is by nature illegal. I can't think of any type of legal theft.
Its all stealing and its never ideal, but in some cases the circumstances that led someone to steal to live are more criminal in themselves than the act of stealing something and anyone with any compassion could see the difference
when the people steal from the companies, its called theft.
when the companies steal from the people, its called making a profit.
When companies steal they call it theft. When they sell something and make a profit on it, its called trade
I do agree, but I think suzy's point is that often when big companies / more powerful entities commit wrongdoing, then they get away with it. Ergo, we are a society that punishes the impoverished chav fag+booze thief harshly, whilst being very understanding about the powerful rich company doing a bit of illegality on the side. I mean, obviously we all condemn it, but normally you just have to act humble and make an apology and there will be few legal consequences. You might have to move to a different position in your organisation (in exchange for a golden parachute) but, nothing like the consequences to the man on the street.