I feel like I should also post this on iamverysmart. anyway, here goes:

Why Shoplifting Isn’t As Bad As You Think:

For the many thousands of years that people have existed on Earth, the act of stealing has been an accompanied part of our flawed human nature. Stealing has been around for as long as we’ve existed- and carries heavy cultural and religious implications. Written in the eighth commandment is “You shall not steal”. In the exodus “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.” Laws in the U.S punish shoplifting with jail time and fines. If caught shoplifting/stealing, it is looked down upon and is generally viewed as a shameful act.

To most- the matter is black and white- good or evil- right or wrong. A common train of thought : Shoplifting is an act of crime, therefore it must be bad. It corrupts society, it damages the economy, and it is bad for businesses. Looking at the issue of shoplifting from a one dimensional perspective as such, it does appear that shoplifting is indeed detrimental for society as a whole.

I’m here to introduce a completely different philosophical train of thought involving shoplifting- one that goes against popular opinion. I have spent extensive time studying the work of Emile Durkheim. His work involving society and crime has forever changed my views upon how society collectively reacts to the act of crime, and I hope it may offer a different perspective on the act of shoplifting.

Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist, social psychologist, and a philosopher. His studies revolved around modern society and the functioning of society as a whole. Unlike many philosophers of his day- Durkheim viewed crime as a necessary part of society, in that it is an essential element to society’s function. Taken out of context, this thought may seem absurd. Yet, Durkheim asserted that all societies contain something called a collective conscience. This collective conscience is the unwritten moral code which encompasses an entire society- it is the “right and wrong” moral compass which most people tend to follow. The vast majority of Americans fall under the collective conscience which asserts that stealing/shoplifting is bad. Durkheim believed that all groups must all “agree” to a code like a collective conscience. It defines what the society upholds as good, what things society deems bad, and also gives members of that society a certain set of shared values. Durkheim believes that a collective conscience is central to a group’s identity, and in order for the group’s collective conscience to be formed: crime is essential. It helps societies form ideas about what is right/wrong, moral/immoral, good/bad. Durkheim viewed crime- and ongoing crime- as key for a society to abide by their collective conscience and to keep their values going strong. Not only does it bring society closer in their shared ideals, but it allows a society to define themselves.

What is society without crime? What is good without an evil to fight against? How would a modern society like America function if no crime was committed ever? How would we make laws to govern our people if we did not have anything to govern against? To what principles would we hold ourselves?

The next time you become angry at the shoplifting community on tumblr, just know that you are angering yourself at an inevitable part of our human existence. People will live and people will steal. Your anger is simply a reaction- showcasing our strong collective moral conscience instilled in us by society. The widespread anger felt against shoplifters may actually not be so bad. It simply reinforces our shared collective disgust at stealing, and further asserts our widespread moral code.

Again, crime is an inevitable part of human nature. Our society has evolved to anticipate and deal with shoplifting. While we will always continue to steal, what may only change is how society reacts and responds to the crime.

To read more about Durkheim and his philosophy: http://www.cf.ac.uk/socsi/undergraduate/introsoc/durkheim8.html

I can't find the link on tumblr, but it was posted by call-me-stickyfingers.