A moral question for you all

[WhaleSharkBootySweat]

Imagine you go into a really nice small business selling either homewares or food. You pick something up that you really like, but it's the end of the month and you can't really afford it. What is the main reason that stops you from stealing it?

A.) Fear of getting caught, punished, criminal record, shame, losing your job
B.) Sympathy for the small business owner, not wanting them to lose money

Or something else.
For me it's massively more B but then I don't steal from chain stores, so I guess A must come into it then?
I just wonder where these moral decisions we make daily come from. Is it fear of repercussions or genuine moral compass? Why do a third of shoppers steal from self checkouts but wouldn't steal from a cashier at the till?
I think about the idea that if there wasn't law and order, then we would all steal and murder, but I genuinely believe that most of us wouldn't? I mean I've never felt compelled to, but why is that? Empathy?

I don't steal because I don't need to, if I did, I would.

I don't view all illegal activity as morally wrong either. Some laws are bloody stupid. Those I choose to comply with if the consequences of not doing so are harsh enough.

Life makes a lot more sense once you let go of "good" and "bad" and stop worrying about what other people think about you.

I think there can more variables than just A & B involved in a decision to steal. You also need to account for the motivation of the person stealing.

Is it just that they want something shiny, or is the theft of something that they really need but can't afford?

I’ve not read the full thread but if you’re interested in questions like this, read up on Kohlberg’s theory of moral development (not without its criticisms, discussed at the end).

https://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html#:~:text=Kohlberg%20identified%20three%20levels%20of,typical%20of%20the%20earlier%20stage.

@MangoMartini (and @FlapSnacks who posted it earlier), that’s really interesting, thank you. This bit is especially interesting:

“Men’s morality is based on abstract principles of law and justice, while women’s is based on principles of compassion and care.”

Seems like most people’s morality in this thread is based on abstract principles like “well it’s just wrong”. Does that count as law and justice?

I think it's called "your moral compass" 🤔 and that's defined by your social upbringing and environment. You knów it's not yours for the taking and so you don't take it. At least I don't. I have read that in some communities everything belongs to everyone and so is free to take by every individual. It doesn't work where I live, although some people have tried it. Like : you need your bike to go to work but somebody else has taken it because you weren't using it at that moment.

It's nice to think the reason I don't steal is because simply it is wrong however I think its more a societal responsibility. If everyone started stealing then society breaks or if society breaks down then people begin stealing. In these circumstances I probably would join in.

For me it's my upbringing I think. My parents have found lots of things over the years, top of the range I phones, wallets or purses full of cash, watches, rings etc and have always returned them to owner. I've never even thought about stealing for this reason, because it's not my property. However, if I was entitled to something like say, wages from someone refusing to give me them or similar situation, I think I'd take something of there's like for like because I felt I was owed it.