7 ms·
> he finds a loophole/backdoor into getting access to a copy. I wouldn’t call stealing, even a high effort one, a loophole any more than I’d call shoplifting a
by harles 3y ago
> he finds a loophole/backdoor into getting access to a copy.
I wouldn’t call stealing, even a high effort one, a loophole any more than I’d call shoplifting a life hack.
- throwway120385 3y agoThe court system traditionally does care what your motivation is for doing something. See the difference between manslaughter and murder, which is entirely based on your intent at the time.
- pb7 3y agoYeah, to reduce the severity of the intent by default. Plotting a scheme to steal when it has more value is not that. Or in your own terms, the difference between 3rd degree and 1st degree murder.
- conductr 3y agoThis was entirely premeditated theft. He had to apply to the job, interview, etc. Even still, I believe a slap on the wrist is appropriate punishment as it's just not that serious of a crime.
- ineedasername 3y agoLots of thefts, hacks, etc involve exploiting loopholes in a system. It doesn't have to be either/or, it can be exploiting a loophole, and also theft, which this was.
- nix0n 3y agoIn some US jurisdictions, theft below some dollar value is considered not worth prosecuting, i.e. legal. It is not as though Amazon is really going to miss one copy of Zelda, so it's morally not too bad. > I wouldn’t call stealing, even a high effort one, a loophole any more than I’d call shoplifting a life hack. I sort of agree with your equating these, except I think they are both valid.
- ipaddr 3y agoIn fact it costs more money to catch someone.
- qup 3y agoI think it's fine to have a black and white line about stealing (and other moral dilemmas), as you clearly do. It makes life easy to navigate. It's hard to see a victim here. The kid stole for the early access, he would have gladly paid for the game. So really the rule he's intending to break is you know, "you're not allowed to look at this until X date" The shoplifting is a byproduct. I can see a gray area. There's a lot of stupid laws painted in black and white.
- jacquesm 3y ago> I think it's fine to have a black and white line about stealing (and other motel dilemmas), as you clearly do. It makes life easy to navigate. Motel dilemma's, they're the worst. Econo Lodge, Super 8 I never know what to do...
- giraffe_lady 3y ago[flagged]
- jaredhallen 3y agoI got a little chuckle out of it.
- ineedasername 3y agoIt actually (somewhat) fits the theme too, if you look at it sideways and squint your eyes. You could make something up, say for an ethics class, titled... The Motel Dilemma: You arrive at a motel that provides various toiletries and other sundry items in quantities sufficient for most people each night. Each room sleeps up to 4 people, but the motel knows that many times there will be only one or two guests in the room and want to keep costs down and so they place a limited amount in each room but make more available to guests, nominally, for free. As it happens, you're the only one in the room and do not need more. But this motel has very high quality items, you like them a lot. Is it okay to take extra to use beyond your stay at the motel?
- mywittyname 3y agoI'd call it fraud.
- colpabar 3y agoWhat if you live in san francisco?
- toast0 3y agoHypotheticals are terrible, but what if we change the situation a little bit. Instead of Amazon, let's have the person work at a retail store, and instead of meerly taking a copy of Zelda, they also leave payment in the till. Of course, their retail system may not allow them to run a sale on a game before the street date, so they may have to miscode it. Then it's not stealing, instead it's breaking the street date and messing up inventory. Also, let's assume there's well more than enough copies that nobody ends up not getting a copy of the game because he took it. Would that be a loophole then? An alternate hypothetical is he orders it on amazon, all the orders are boxed early, but not shipped and he finds his box and takes it home. Doesn't match reality, but makes a nice hypothetical.
- Volundr 3y agoIt's still stealing to take something that's not for sale and leave money behind.