Is it okay to steal food?

[FrostPheonix]

Well..

1. Stores just sell it. They don't eat it. People eat it.
2. I highly doubt anyone is going to buy an entire store, and I doubt one person stealing (even for a family) will make any difference at all.

Well, if someone is that poor and steals food, then several other people would also be 'that poor'. Meaning that the owner soon will be having a loss.


I think that stealing is not justified in any way. Go get some fruits or something from a tree, try begging, do something, but don't go and get the stuff off of people who earned it. Or made it, as the case may be.

 

[Steven]

Stores don't sell it. People sell it from the stores. Are store owners not entitled to keep what they buy for their businesses?

No, they're not. That's illegal actually and you'd have to be pretty stupid to do that.

 

[Dragonite's Wrath]

It doesnt matter if a bunch of people come in to a store and raid the place of all their Crunch Bars. It costs like 50 cents to make one. Going in Best Buy and jacking 4 laptops will cause a loss for the owner. But the way to overcome that loss is raise the price of other stuff.
But stealing food is fine. people wont care if someone takes $15 worth of food. And its a win-win situation. They get away, they have food. They get arrested, they get jail food.

 

[Åzurε]

No, they're not. That's illegal actually and you'd have to be pretty stupid to do that.

Heh, okay, point taken. How about "Do they not have the right to sell the very things they obtained for the express purpose of selling?"

And while I appreciate the response, do you not have input on the rest of my post?

 

[FrostPheonix]

It doesnt matter if a bunch of people come in to a store and raid the place of all their Crunch Bars. It costs like 50 cents to make one. Going in Best Buy and jacking 4 laptops will cause a loss for the owner. But the way to overcome that loss is raise the price of other stuff.
But stealing food is fine. people wont care if someone takes $15 worth of food. And its a win-win situation. They get away, they have food. They get arrested, they get jail food.

It does matter if a bunch of people came and raided a place off of their crunch bars; its a loss. In the long run, they will sustain substantial losses, and if you seriously are in a neighbourhood where you can steal stuff like that and it won't make a difference, chances are that there is some kind of welfare organization there. And why would you go steal candy? If anything, you would steal actual food, and that is something they will miss.

No, they're not. That's illegal actually and you'd have to be pretty stupid to do that.

I am not sure I get your point here. How is it illegal for people to own stuff for their own businesses?

 

[Dawn]

I think that there's a big difference between "Absolutely necessary" and "morally okay."

For instance. War is morally wrong. However, it's acceptable because sometimes it's flat out necessary. In the same sense, stealing food will be morally wrong no matter how you twist it, but if you absolutely need to, it becomes "acceptable".

So no! It isn't "okay" and it never will be. It is however, possibly acceptable.

 

[Masqueraine]

Whoa there pokemon trainer yellow. I'm sure we can interchange okay with acceptable, no point arguing over grammar and proper terms when we get the general idea ;)

 

[Steven]

I am not sure I get your point here. How is it illegal for people to own stuff for their own businesses?

It's illegal because you pay for them through business accounts, which are tax deductible. If you use a business purchase for personal use (except in certain cases [and food isn't one of them]) then it isn't a business purchase, but still tax deductible and under the U.S. law that's a form of tax evasion.

 

[Dragonite's Wrath]

I'm not in a neighborhood like that. There's this place I go to and I just go up to the vending machine, work my magic (if you want to know how I do this, PM or VM) and get a bunch of candy out. I even put money in after I got something out, and the coil spins JUST far enough that the next person will get some. Of course, I did put double headed quarters in the machine. They cant tell the difference. So even if it is a loss, it wont be that big of a deal. I know a guy who works at a store, and I asked him if I could see if if the alarm would go off if a candy bar went through. I threw one, no alarm. I threw 4 at once, no alarm. Then I walked by with one, no alarm. Then I walked by slowly with the whole box, no alarm. And each time, I made sure the bar code was facing the radar. If places really cared about candy theft, they would have their alarms go off. And I didnt take all that candy. I wouldnt steal kitkats from my friends work place. He even tried a few times. So, places must not care about candy
And if it's for survival, its totally fine to steal food. Anybody would do it.

 

[Oryx]

I think that there's a big difference between "Absolutely necessary" and "morally okay."

For instance. War is morally wrong. However, it's acceptable because sometimes it's flat out necessary. In the same sense, stealing food will be morally wrong no matter how you twist it, but if you absolutely need to, it becomes "acceptable".

So no! It isn't "okay" and it never will be. It is however, possibly acceptable.

I agree with this completely. It's wrong, flat out. But sometimes you can justify doing a wrong thing to stop something worse happening (see shooting someone in self defense). It doesn't make it morally right, but it makes it necessary and justifiable.

Whoa there pokemon trainer yellow. I'm sure we can interchange okay with acceptable, no point arguing over grammar and proper terms when we get the general idea ;)

I think "okay" is better when replaced by "right", as opposed to "acceptable". The point is the same, and there is a difference.

I'm not in a neighborhood like that. There's this place I go to and I just go up to the vending machine, work my magic (if you want to know how I do this, PM or VM) and get a bunch of candy out. I even put money in after I got something out, and the coil spins JUST far enough that the next person will get some. Of course, I did put double headed quarters in the machine. They cant tell the difference. So even if it is a loss, it wont be that big of a deal. I know a guy who works at a store, and I asked him if I could see if if the alarm would go off if a candy bar went through. I threw one, no alarm. I threw 4 at once, no alarm. Then I walked by with one, no alarm. Then I walked by slowly with the whole box, no alarm. And each time, I made sure the bar code was facing the radar. If places really cared about candy theft, they would have their alarms go off. And I didnt take all that candy. I wouldnt steal kitkats from my friends work place. He even tried a few times. So, places must not care about candy
And if it's for survival, its totally fine to steal food. Anybody would do it.

The question is, why would you do that? I guess I can't understand the mentality behind things like "they'll never miss it" or whatever justifies your decision to steal from a company over a person. The discussion isn't greedy kids stealing candy bars because they feel entitled to whatever they can get their hands on anyway, it's about people who are starving, stealing food to survive. They don't steal Crunch bars. They would be stealing milk, bread, vegetables, meat.

I really can't understand the mentality that says that it's alright as long as it's a company that you're stealing from. I just can't help but think, what if everyone felt that way? Stores would be completely bankrupt, because each person would think that there's no way the store will miss a loaf of bread, or a bag of chips, or a can of peas. Hundreds of people in the area of the store, each taking 1 or 2 things would devastate a store. All the work that the actual owner put into a store would be wasted, the money the company spent on the food wasted because everyone thought "what difference does one food item make?", the store doesn't make enough money to pay its expenses because people feel like it's alright to steal from them, they shut down. So by your model, stores shouldn't exist because it's morally fine to steal from them. The only reason your theory about theft from stores works at all is because there are people that choose not to, so in other words you're banking on other people to be moral so you don't have to be. A little strange if you ask me.

 

[SuckBoot]

I think stealing food is acceptable even if you are well off. I mean, come on relax.

 

[Åzurε]

Thank you, Toujours. I was trying to formulate a response to Dragonite's Wrath to the same effect, but I couldn't spit it out. I basically second your entire post there, and as relates to Yellow, I'd suggest replacing "acceptable" with "understandable". I wouldn't accept such behavior if I was on even ground with the thief, and I'd certainly be upset if I was the one stolen from, but I could still sympathize with his situation.

This nonchalant, uncaring attitude as relates to thievery has me half enraged and half rather depressed. Not even getting into more dire circumstances where such choices could realistically challenge your continued survival, there are people who are almost proud of just taking unnecessary snacks. It strikes me as stupid and self-centered.

It is interesting how social convention and law hinge on morality and ethics, isn't it?

 

[Masqueraine]

I think anybody who's going to otherwise starve is a okay when it comes to stealing food :) sorry I'm just not gonna freak out about somebody trying not to die!

I think stealing food is acceptable even if you are well off. I mean, come on relax.

Lmao, <3 u SuckBoot

 

[Wyatt Fire]

I'd say food is one of the more excusable things to steal. It's not like an electronics product, or a jewel, but an essential of life.

You always see those in movies whose cases are pretty extreme, and they make the shop owners look like the bad guys when the people steal for survival.

I can't help but think of the movies Grave of the Fireflies JP, Precious, Nobody Knows JP, and some scenes from other movies I can't pin point the names.

Being in these situations suck, but I would know that there is plenty of help out there. I had to make $15 last me a week for months.

I don't think someone that claims they worked harder than I did for their meals is necessarily telling the truth. A big paycheck doesn't compare these days.

 

[Gulpin]

I was thinking this today while I was at Wal-Mart. I went to the Deli and got some chicken and a fork and ate it while walking through the store. It occured to me how easily someone could buy chicken, eat it while looking around the store, then throw it away in one of the trash cans around the store -- a free meal! Anyways, the only circumstances for stealing food are when you are starving (actually starving, not just hungry) and absoultley must need it. Hopefully, they would have already found help through WIC, food stamps, a food bank, or similar program however.

 

[Dawn]

Whoa there pokemon trainer yellow. I'm sure we can interchange okay with acceptable, no point arguing over grammar and proper terms when we get the general idea ;)

No it is not okay to interchange those, especially not in a topic that promotes intellectual discussion. They don't mean the same thing at all. You can accept awful, awful things that are not okay in any sense of the word.

 

[pokemonranger109]

yes i would steal if i was really really despareate and i was a second from starving to death

 

[Dragonite's Wrath]

I agree with this completely. It's wrong, flat out. But sometimes you can justify doing a wrong thing to stop something worse happening (see shooting someone in self defense). It doesn't make it morally right, but it makes it necessary and justifiable.



I think "okay" is better when replaced by "right", as opposed to "acceptable". The point is the same, and there is a difference.



The question is, why would you do that? I guess I can't understand the mentality behind things like "they'll never miss it" or whatever justifies your decision to steal from a company over a person. The discussion isn't greedy kids stealing candy bars because they feel entitled to whatever they can get their hands on anyway, it's about people who are starving, stealing food to survive. They don't steal Crunch bars. They would be stealing milk, bread, vegetables, meat.

I really can't understand the mentality that says that it's alright as long as it's a company that you're stealing from. I just can't help but think, what if everyone felt that way? Stores would be completely bankrupt, because each person would think that there's no way the store will miss a loaf of bread, or a bag of chips, or a can of peas. Hundreds of people in the area of the store, each taking 1 or 2 things would devastate a store. All the work that the actual owner put into a store would be wasted, the money the company spent on the food wasted because everyone thought "what difference does one food item make?", the store doesn't make enough money to pay its expenses because people feel like it's alright to steal from them, they shut down. So by your model, stores shouldn't exist because it's morally fine to steal from them. The only reason your theory about theft from stores works at all is because there are people that choose not to, so in other words you're banking on other people to be moral so you don't have to be. A little strange if you ask me.

The answer to your question is, its just food. Its not like oil, where its used and never found again. They can make more chips to put in a new bag, they can grow more peas to put in a new can. It's totally fine. I literally just ripped off another vending machine yesterday. I put money in, and when the soda fell, I kept the chute open and eight more cans came out. But it doesnt matter because Pepsi or whoever makes it will make more and put it in the machine or stores. If you think stealing food at all is terrible, no matter what does it, answer this. Are crows terrible creatures cuz they steal corn out of fields? Are pidgeons terrible because they pick up a bread crumb off the street? Are dogs terrible because they eat anything their masters drop. And are all people terrible because they steal the handicap parking spot, or the last 2-liter of Pepsi. And are all teens terrible because they steal someones kill on Modern Warfare? If you think stealing anything is wrong, whats your answer to those questions?

 

[Oryx]

Splitting this post up for easy answering.

The answer to your question is, its just food. Its not like oil, where its used and never found again. They can make more chips to put in a new bag, they can grow more peas to put in a new can. It's totally fine.

And they have to grow more, because you feel like you're entitled to the food that they made, spent the money on getting the seeds, watering it, tending to it, harvesting it, processing it, packing it, and shipping it to whatever store you're stealing from. Why do you feel entitled to the work of someone else without any compensation? It just boggles my mind.

I literally just ripped off another vending machine yesterday. I put money in, and when the soda fell, I kept the chute open and eight more cans came out. But it doesnt matter because Pepsi or whoever makes it will make more and put it in the machine or stores.

That's nice. My statement still stands. You only think it's alright because you can't see the effects I guess? Because to you it doesn't seem like a big deal that you just stole 10 bucks from a company, because other people who have morals won't and the company won't go under. Once again, since you ignored me last time, if every single person thought the way you do about theft, Pepsi would be out of business. I don't know about you, but I think about things like that when I'm thinking if something is ethically right. "Who would be hurt if everyone believed this moral was right?" If everyone believed stealing was wrong, no one. If everyone believed stealing was fine, businesses and people would.

If you think stealing food at all is terrible, no matter what does it, answer this. Are crows terrible creatures cuz they steal corn out of fields? Are pidgeons terrible because they pick up a bread crumb off the street? Are dogs terrible because they eat anything their masters drop.

I'd like to think we hold ourselves to a higher standard than them. It's not acceptable for us to walk around naked or mate in public, but it's fine for animals. Doesn't mean we should do it. And if your definition of 'stealing' is picking food up off the ground that no one wants, then be my guest. I can get behind the idea that it's alright to eat breadcrumbs off the ground. (:

And are all people terrible because they steal the handicap parking spot

They're not terrible people, but they're wrong. I'll admit, my family had a fake handicapped pass at one point, for about a month. However, we made it a point never to use it if there were one 1-2 spots, if we would be there for a long time, or if it was a place that elderly people frequented. And never did we come back and see that even close to all the spots were taken, so we didn't hurt anybody. But still, I can acknowledge that it was wrong to have it. Just like you're not a terrible person for stealing one soda a month, but that doesn't make stealing the soda any less wrong.

or the last 2-liter of Pepsi.

Going to have to be more specific here. Stealing it from a store, taking it from your parents if you live with them, taking it from a friend? It depends on whether the place you're taking it from has a history of giving you free things, and it's reasonable to assume that they would be alright with you taking it. Store? No. Parents? Yes. Friend? Depends.

And are all teens terrible because they steal someones kill on Modern Warfare? If you think stealing anything is wrong, whats your answer to those questions?

Sorry, but that's a game. You're not taking anyone's money or livelihood by stealing something in a game. Just because it has the word "steal" in it doesn't mean it's stealing. You also steal a base, that's a valid move (play? action? whatever I don't know baseball lol), not theft. You steal kisses sometimes too.

I can understand saying "Stealing is wrong, but I still do it". I mean, I believe that pirating is wrong, but I still do that, I have no problem admitting it. It's the idea that you're entitled to whatever you can grab and stuff in your pockets that bothers me.

 

[Dragonite's Wrath]

Splitting this post up for easy answering.



And they have to grow more, because you feel like you're entitled to the food that they made, spent the money on getting the seeds, watering it, tending to it, harvesting it, processing it, packing it, and shipping it to whatever store you're stealing from. Why do you feel entitled to the work of someone else without any compensation? It just boggles my mind.



That's nice. My statement still stands. You only think it's alright because you can't see the effects I guess? Because to you it doesn't seem like a big deal that you just stole 10 bucks from a company, because other people who have morals won't and the company won't go under. Once again, since you ignored me last time, if every single person thought the way you do about theft, Pepsi would be out of business. I don't know about you, but I think about things like that when I'm thinking if something is ethically right. "Who would be hurt if everyone believed this moral was right?" If everyone believed stealing was wrong, no one. If everyone believed stealing was fine, businesses and people would.



I'd like to think we hold ourselves to a higher standard than them. It's not acceptable for us to walk around naked or mate in public, but it's fine for animals. Doesn't mean we should do it. And if your definition of 'stealing' is picking food up off the ground that no one wants, then be my guest. I can get behind the idea that it's alright to eat breadcrumbs off the ground. (:



They're not terrible people, but they're wrong. I'll admit, my family had a fake handicapped pass at one point, for about a month. However, we made it a point never to use it if there were one 1-2 spots, if we would be there for a long time, or if it was a place that elderly people frequented. And never did we come back and see that even close to all the spots were taken, so we didn't hurt anybody. But still, I can acknowledge that it was wrong to have it. Just like you're not a terrible person for stealing one soda a month, but that doesn't make stealing the soda any less wrong.



Going to have to be more specific here. Stealing it from a store, taking it from your parents if you live with them, taking it from a friend? It depends on whether the place you're taking it from has a history of giving you free things, and it's reasonable to assume that they would be alright with you taking it. Store? No. Parents? Yes. Friend? Depends.



Sorry, but that's a game. You're not taking anyone's money or livelihood by stealing something in a game. Just because it has the word "steal" in it doesn't mean it's stealing. You also steal a base, that's a valid move (play? action? whatever I don't know baseball lol), not theft. You steal kisses sometimes too.

I can understand saying "Stealing is wrong, but I still do it". I mean, I believe that pirating is wrong, but I still do that, I have no problem admitting it. It's the idea that you're entitled to whatever you can grab and stuff in your pockets that bothers me.

1st, I dont know what 'ethical' means. And I didnt ignore you about 'everyone thought the way I do' At some point, everyone has an urge to steal. But it's their choice to do it. I dont steal everytime I go somewhere. And when I do steal, its only small stuff. I'll tell you a true story. Last week,there was a guy that tried to jack 3 laptops from Best Buy. I saw him walk in, and go to the laptops. When I turned back around, I saw the guy putting laptops in his suitcase. I was laughing at the guy for doing this (he was stopped in the parking lot if your wondering) He gave them back to the Manager and they let him leave. My point is, some people will let stealing go. The manager didnt care.(I was eavsdropping) I know this thread is about food, so, Here's another one. On a TV show (real. It was Smoking Gun or something) one of the videos showed a guy trying to steal food from a gas station. After some fighting, the worker tackles the guy, then GIVES him what he was trying to steal. Worker said in his country, its wrong to let a man starve. I Dont know what country he's from but, that country and me have the same thoughts.
Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if you were the Best Buy manager and Gas Station worker?