Technology
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Shoplifting isn't happening because of capitalism.
It's happening because the local government won't prosecute the people that do shoplift
Or it's because many grocery chains used COVID as a reason or excuse to raise prices and refuse to lower them despite supply chains healing, during a time where literally everything a modern human needs to survive becomes nearly unreashable expensive.
But sure, it's because cops aren't shooting enough shiplifters.
A lot of it is because of need. The lower rungs of our society have been pushed to the point where the risk of being caught and jailed is less of a driver than hunger. The social fabric is unravelling. I just hired someone and I’m giving them a living wage and I’m getting suspicion in return.
That and, arguably being in prison is better for someone than going hungry. You get clothes, 3 meals a day, and a shower.
Bad news, bro: shoplifting is happening because of capitalism. Period. There's lots of aspects of capitalism that lead to this result but small minds are unable to grasp them. I am not gonna list them all here. Others are welcome to offer some of them if they like.
Are you suggesting that nobody ever stole anything from a store in a socialist/communist country?
Are you trying to extrapolate to an entirely unrelated concept from the subject?
It's the obvious followup to your statement "shoplifting is happening because of capitalism. Period." You were very clear and I think my question is very clear.
Your logic is right, but what he's meaning is that capitalism exacerbates poverty. When homes, food, healthcare become commodities the people that can't afford the new norm HAVE to do what they can to survive.
Yes, some-to-most shoplifters may be shoplifting for less than survival reasons, but in the same way many would argue that capital punishment risks the many at the expense of a few, villifying and prosecuting shoplifters risks the legitimate survival of a lot of people.
Every time capitalism does stupid shit to drive up the cost of living and spread the wealth gap wider, the people respend with acts of desparation. Capitalism drove rents astronomically high. Capitalism drove the cost of housing astronomically high. Capitalism kept wages stagnant for decades while exponentially increasing executive pay. Capitalism increased the price of petroleum. Capitalism made health care unobtainable. Capitalism saturated the airwaves with radical fascist talk shows and hatemongering. Capitalism talked people into giving money to megachurches instead of paying their bills.
Socialism did none of these things. Capitalism did. Homelessness and ahoplifting is happening in increasing rates in capitalist countries.
Shoplifting is happening because the economy is fucked, and plenty of people see the risk of shoplifting to be worth the reward of access to the things they need.
You can be a compassionate person, and work fix this problem by offering better safety nets and access to human needs to the needy, or you can take the fascist route and demand expansion of the state to punish the poor even further.
Agreed. Shoplifting is a response to the health level of the community surrounding it.
Is the incarceration rate really that high in Australia? I thought it was closer to the global average.