Technology
This is the official technology community of Lemmy.ml for all news related to creation and use of technology, and to facilitate civil, meaningful discussion around it.
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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.