Stealing From Work and Corporations...Good or Bad?

The problem is not that there is some minority evil elite in charge running things. The problem is there is a majority evil lower class that morally and ethically is absolutely no different from the people in charge, and any attempt to eliminate the scum from the top of the pond fails because the scum from the bottom of the pond just floats right up to take its place.

You make a valid point. If we want to change the system the way to do so is not to follow the practices that we despise. It takes a group effort to make any sensible change, and for that to happen there needs to be proper education on the subject matter. That's the key I believe, in that many are wired in to the process and aren't aware that to buy their products and usage of their services allow said companies to continue to operate. The question then becomes how can we educate the masses besides the obvious word of mouth?

I think stealing is bad no matter who it's from.
Sooner or later it Is gonna come back and bite you in the unowhat.

reply to post by Chewingonmushrooms


Have you ever heard the saying "you cant con an honest man?" Its true.

The reason the schemes and plans and dirty tricks of the "elite" work so well is because the people on the bottom are just like them morally, only they hold less of an advantage socio-economically. How did Wal Mart destroy wages and small businesses? People who wanted to save a couple extra cents (advantage seeking) sold their own interests out in the long run. At first, they saved money and bought more. Then as communities eroded around the Wal Marts, they shopped there because they HAVE to. The cant afford not to now, because of the destruction of the economic environment in their area. But greed began the erosion.

Its the same everywhere. If people do not learn that if they want to live in a good world they need to BE, completely, the kind of person they want to deal with, we will never get anywhere. Corporations could not do what they do without millions upon millions of enablers. From those who buy their stock hoping to make a buck, (and ignoring their horrific behavior) to those who work for them, to those who shop with them or use their services.

And it could easily be done. You dont even need to suffer too much. In your area, pick ONE corporation at a time, and boycott them. You have others to choose from. Shift the whole town, city, states business to one corporation for two months, then pick another and swap roles.

Why? What good does it do to totally boycott a corporation for only two months then give then the whole cities business and boycott their rival? It lets them know we know there are strength in numbers. It lets them know we understand the game, and how to play it, and that we will work as a "corporation" of buyers and fight them if they dont get the supply demand thing right. Corporations exist to serve people, not vice versa.

However when you have a group of people each totally self centered, each totally self serving, always seeking advantage over others in the group, we can never win. Unity, and character, and willingness to sacrifice some self gratification for a longer range goal that benefits the whole group. What I find pathetic about us, (Americans) is that people have died to get us what we have. They have sacrificed everything, their lives, all comfort, everything they had, and most Americans wont buy a little less, pay a little more, or drive a little further to force government, and corporations to listen to us.

We (as a collective) deserve exactly what we have. We are, in fact, the ultimate CAUSE of what is going on in the world, because none of it could happen if we were not enabling it because of our own greed.

And those are generalizations, and I know there are many individuals who do not fit that description. Unfortunately, they are just an ineffective minority.

I agree with you on several points, and you do have individuals looking soley for their own benefit. Example, people of lower class buying products from walmart because it is infact cheaper (due to externalizing costs). But on the flip side of that, what happens when measures outside of an individual's given control (low wage. lax opportunities) forces said individual to buy only what he/she can afford?

Example, your iron broke (because it was low quality) and need an iron to iron your clothes for work. After budgeting, you realize that you only have 20 dollars to spend, and not being able to save (living pay check to pay check) you choose to buy another low quality iron from walmart instead of buying a higher quality one from a local appliance store. It's almost a catch 22 at times because by the very natural of the system, you've become dependant on it for basic needs.

So it gets complicated when you deal with "working class". Middle class on the other hand usually have more options in picking and choosing their products and have the ability to change their purchasing habits. Most long term change when it does happen, usually happens with the backing of the middle class and that's why they are targeted. They are usually more educated (and hence have more information awareness), and are better able to understand and observe the consequences of large chains (and other businesses) operating their businesses in local communities.

Besides, if corporations act without morals why should I be moral at work?

The OP doesn't understand the meaning of the word.

a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ethical c : conforming to a standard of right behavior d : sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment

Merriam-Webster

The topic could be moral relativism. Although he complains about corporations' actions and behaviors (as if they were an individual) and uses that as a basis for justifying his actions, placing himself in the bubble of behavior-scape upon which one must be looking in order to even have a philosophy on morals.. He doesn't grasp the concept so cannot comprehend standing outside the concept to consider other viewpoints. What I'm sayin is the OP seems like an ass.

Moral relativism

A corporation isn't an individual that much is true although it is treated as such (lawfully) by the government. It seems to me that you are down playing the harm caused by many corporations and instead chose to focus on the individual (the OP), which is just as wrong in my opinion. One can make an argument that the OP is not helping his case and in fact sabotaging it. But to ignore the practices of large multi-national corporations because they do not have a face is equally as wrong. And personally I do not subscribe to the idea that we must accept it (abuses) as an extension of free markets or capitalism.

double post *

Originally posted by doctornamtab

Originally posted by liejunkie01
Wow,...you sure are taking alot of flack.

Why not look at it as borrowing for a while. If any body asks about it, you could bring it back without being noticed. lol.....

There is no shame in permanently borrowing somthing.

S&F op for having the balls to make this thread. From the looks of it, you can use some support.

Go sticky fingers.

edit on 10-5-2011 by liejunkie01 because: was no done

Thank you for the support sir.

I was just thinking that for an alternative news website there sure are a lot of closeminded, mainstream thinkers who unquestionably accept "the way things are".

The brainwashing does indeed run deep.

It's illegal to escape from prison, but if someone was innocent and wrongly imprisoned, would their attempt to escape be immoral?

I'm not saying I condone theft. However, let's be clear about who perpetrate the mega thefts of this world? We have been kept as slaves for centuries by a despotic and insane group of oligarchs. The system THEY have enforced has resulted in 98% of the world's wealth being owned by 1-2% of the world's population, ie. THEM. THIS is theft, it's just that the masses have been conditioned into accepting it as normal and legal, ie. accepting their slavery as normal and legal. It's not legal, not under common law, it's not natural and it's not moral. It's theft and abuse.

SO - taking something from a corporation could also be seen as retrieving a tiny portion of what has been stolen from us.

Again - I'm not saying that I condone the OP's actions or that I don't, I just see some typically blinkered thinking here, or lack of real thinking, about the situation we are actually in and the moral issue as opposed to an indoctrinated response.

reply to post by Chewingonmushrooms


I am rated 1974 United States Chess Federation so ChessGuru is a bit of a stretch but I am no pushover either .Chess is the only thing I 'm adicted to.

On topic for those who justify stealing the only ones hurt are the little guy and yourself. That is really pretty easy to figure out. I even know a pschopath that has developed a set of ethics that stops him from such activities even though he has no conscience in the usual sense that would guide him in what is right and wrong. He is smart enough to see the cause and effect of such actions and determined a superior ethical code even though it would not bother him in the least to rob someone blind. I am tempted to do a paper on him as this seems unusual but that is not my area of expertise.

just a note here.. i am not against reasonable stances against corporations. but mcdonalds and radio shack and taco bell are FRANCISHES. that means often, some family opens one, and pays for their children and mortgage by owning the franchise. hurt the franchise location, hurt that family. forget stockholders. maybe that family was wrong for supporting corporate culture. but then, so is everyone who eats or goes to a movie. shall we betray everyone? is everyone in the military also rip=offable cuz they support corporate culture? sure, betray the cancer. but by betraying the cultural cancer, u betray yrself, u betray yr peers. you are all part of the body-ugly. such is corporate culture.

Ignore some of the comment by people who slam you for stealing from the corporations.

These people are the rats at the bottom of the pit.

Every fight comes in different guises. No matter what you do to rebel YOU are at least fighting in your own way.
The system is set up so that there is no real way to fight it.

But some of these people do not see that.

I myself in my former life flouted the system. I used to open up companies in Ireland and import mobile phones, computer chips to the UK and then claim back all the tax. All the while pushing property in spain to the time share weirdos for pennies on the pound and then "allocate" those funds diversely. It allowed me to retire 2 years ago at the ripe old age of 37. Yes I got caught sort of. But the case was dropped as they could not make head nor tale of the paperwork and records and could not find out if I was actually doing something wrong or not. Plus, most of my "records" were prepared by a company in Hong Kong as it was cheap back then. However, the problem arises when Customs and Exercise in the UK can't be bothered to check things properly and just sign off on things because it is too hard to get stuff translated and checked then double checked. They sewed their own fate.

Im not bitter at all about life, but that is because I used to play it as a game. We are but pawns in life. Our money is never really ours for long if at all.

Now I am different. Retirement has allowed me to focus on things I want to do. i opened up a B&B on an old farm and im in the process of licensing it for survival weekends and team building adventures for company retreats. So again I will screw them out of every penny I can all the while charging them the tax too. Its not my dream life but I am working for ME.

I was in the Royal Engineers for 6 years and was discharged for using my brain and doing the right thing. No justice came my way except a payout 4 years later after a long fight. My red book - I burned it as it meant nothing to me.


Of course there is a penalty if you get caught, the law is like a scorned woman.

People are quick to judge but they are the ones who are behind the times. Today, corporations are stealing from us all day long. $4.50 for a coffee from starbucks, £2.50 for a bottle of water, electric bills rising, charged for plastic bags, charged for using your credit card, devaluation of your goods so that you are forced to buy new ones; the world is set up to STEAL from your pay check.

We only live for a 100 years lets say, such a short time but in order to live we must WORK for these corporations. Not me, if you get a chance to get one over no matter how small and it gives you a good feeling then go for it. Just be prepared for the judgements form the little people and the possibility of getting a record. But a record does not mean anything anymore. 1 in 4 in the UK and 1 in 3 in the states has a record of some sort.

Every crime has a victim. But in life we the people are constantly the victims. No one pays YOUR bills or feeds your kids or buys YOUR food so F**** all those who oppose your choices.

reply to post by testtubebaby


One only gets ripped-off on coffee and bottled water if one buys them. You seem like you are proud of your terrible record of ethics. Though I am subjectively (of course) judging you based on your post, there is something to be said of modesty, and it's that usually stand-up people display a sense of it. I wouldn't want to associate with you or even read anything else you contribute.

My apologies, double-post.

reply to post by doctornamtab


If you work for a small business (less than 10 or so employees) then stealing from work is bad but not from a multi million or billion $ or £ business.

I know some people say stealing is stealing but its not stealing if no one knows about it

That is just my view.

reply to post by testtubebaby


What a rediculous post.

Corporations are screwing us indeed! They are, but not the way you describe.

You complain about someone charging you $4.50 for a cup of coffee. Who makes you buy this coffee? Do you not realize that if no one bought that cup of coffee, they would either lower their prices or go out of business? Do you lack free will or do you simply not realize you can make your own cup for about 5 cents at home?

So you justify your theft and dishonesty by pointing the fingers at large corporations. Yet the irony is, you see nothing wrong with what you do. If you were the CEO of a large bank, you would be as corrupt or moreso than those we have there now. Your quite comfortable with you criminality.

Country Clubs, Ace Hardware, Panera Bread, and Subway are NOT faceless corporate entities. Most of these are all individually owned businesses or franchises who are just licensing the use of a trademarked corporate name and with limited assistance from the "faceless" corporations. There are exceptions of course. This just displays ignorance or lack of education on the OPs part.

When you actually list a real faceless corporate enterprise and a real reason, then maybe I could rationalize the reason to steal from them for the greater good of mankind. Still though, no matter what, it will still be a rationalization. It will still be a crime. If you want to claim it's for some greater moral or ethical cause then I will believe you when you take everything that you steal and donate it. To me, there is no legitimate excuse for selfish stealing, if it's based on a self-indulgent grounds.

I'm no supporter of the capitalistic greed of corporate America or their ways of thinking. Corrupt corporate executives who use their position of power to operate unethically to solely reward themselves are the hidden faces behind faceless corporate America. Their underlying motives are always self-centered in origin.

You are no Robin Hood. You are just plain stealing for yourself for your own personal gain. How is that different from corrupt corporations. You are portraying the same self benefiting greedy characteristics of the corrupt corporate America that you despise.

When you start stealing from REAL faceless corporation with an actual SELFLESS motive, maybe then I can rationalize your reasoning. For now, this argument is pointless.