Stealing article

Why stealing is sometimes OK

Everyone is taught not to steal. It’s drummed relentlessly into our heads like so much social imperative – stealing is bad; we shouldn’t do it. And it’s easy to rationalise this installed morality when someone nicks a new film or CD from Virgin, because whilst they may be stealing from a big, faceless company, the theft is still physical; it costs.

Most people steal things for kicks rather than because they need them – kids chasing the adrenaline rush of doing something forbidden. And after all, they say, is one CD really going to make a difference?

But what happens when you steal from the internet? Proliferation of illegal films and music means you can get pretty much whatever you want at the touch of a button. And this isn’t hurting anybody. You’re not running off down the street clutching your ill-gotten gains, chased by a burly security guard… rather, you’re sitting in the comfort of your home enjoying some disposable media.

The corporations would have us believe that this is theft, but it’s hard to place it in the same box as the shifty looking fellow stashing away the latest season of 24 before sidling out of HMV. And then there’s the institutional theft – company theft from consumers, theft stemming from fat-cat execs milking the millions. This, of course, is just fine.

The recent furore over alleged BA price fixing highlights a competition watchdog that is ready to trumpet the rights of the consumer. But what about the OPEC cartel at the heart of the surcharges, responsible for maintaining the inflated price of oil in the first place?

What of the rather dubious motivations behind recent invasions into the Middle East? Is a theft asserted by government made right because we can’t really cope with the consequences if it is left wrong? Solutions to these problems are far from obvious, but what is clear is the operation of a double standard; a “do as I say, and not as I do” methodology. We all know stealing is wrong, but for a few people at least, it sometimes seems to be OK.