Let's Talk About Stealing! At this very moment I am stealing. Yes, your time is, or at least should be valued at something and here you are reading this. Ha, don't worry, you're in the minority as I'm sure there's not MANY readers. But since this is the Holiday season and it's all about going shopping for others for that perfect gift, it should come as no surprise that with the increase of people out there in the store and the current economic situation, stealing may be on the rise.
Perhaps it's a good time to talk about stealing. I know you don't steal. What with your upper-class upbringing and considering you already get everything you want without having to work for it, so it's irrelevant for me to ask you why you're stealing. But what about the rest of you folks? From what I heard, it's no longer just a pastime for bored housewives and rebillious tweens. Stealing is now the only moral choice in this corrupt world! Stick it to the man and get yourself some new eyeliner in the deal. Be a brave soldier waging a just war against corporatism and the exploitative owners! Or just simply snatch something free of charge for the hell of it.
Come on, I heard it's cool to steal these days. Think about it, it's more of a crime to manufacture sneakers than to steal them. Think of all those poor slave labor kids forced to work for a dollar a day making those cool pair of Jordans you're sporting. I guess stealing food is also cool.. I suppose. But stealing consumer goods produced by slave labor in the third world really isn't much better than buying it. You're still supporting a very disgusting act.
Ok, I'll fess up. I don't think anyone actually thinks they're all Zapatista rebel superhero for snatching up a pack of gum because that's obviously silly. But it's still interesting to talk about whether it's immoral. I mean, just think about it, Private Property is the real theft if you think about it... If you're smart enough to get away with stealng, in a capitalist society where anything goes, there is nothing "wrong" with stealing. Free Market, Bitches! Why should you be held to morals and ethics while the folks on Wall Street have tossed them out. Look were that got you!
Desire destroys civilization..... Ok, try not to think about it. I'm really talking out of my ass here. But still, these are things that once could think about if you're really bored in the check out line at Old Navy buying someone some terrible shirts. I accidentally stole a multipack of crisps once because the stupid self service check out wouldn't scan it or weigh it properly. I suppose I'm going to prison now, aren't I?
Just don't get caught because you will be punished.. Ok, maybe not. Wal*mart has a policy that if you shop lift anything under $50, they don't press charges and send you off on your marry way. That got me to thinking, what if you had 100 people shop lift one item under $50 every day. That will eventually add up and stick it to them, right? Either way, I suppose we shouldn't bring morality into it.
It's not hard to realize why people steal. Society does make it simple like a persons self worth lies in what they own and the bling that they are wearing. I remember readng an article about how people tried to brand poor people with radios in the 40's as not poor, and undeserving of welfare. In the 60's it was TVs. Right now it's the internet. So whatever the fuck gets corporatist prick 20 something to feel better about their terrible lifestyle is a step in that direction. It's no wonder people are stealing cable signals. Can't be considered poor if you have access to read the internet!
Anyway, shoplift if you want. What do I care? I don't even know you. Have fun and don't drive drunk over the Holiday weekends and all that jazz. I suppose I should sum this up with something positive. A good message to end it all. If you are stealing from stores or corporations to "stick it to them", you're doing literally nothing to hurt the company while benefiting yourself under the guise of some altruistic and noble motives.
The reality is that you're doing nothing to end the structual problems that allow for corporate injustices to keep occuring and your actions will probably hurt employees/workers more than they hurt the people more than they hurt the profits of any evil CEO. But that's nothing new, companies usually keep their eyes on their employees as the majority of shopping lifting is done internally. That's what you get for paying people pennies on the dollar compared to what the profit margins are.
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