Poll: You come across a broken ATM...

[tippy2k2]

What deeper principle I am missing?

All I see from the responses here is "targeting certain groups you don't like makes a criminal act against them justified" and so many in these forums seem to be against even feeling certain ways about groups you don't agree with, much less criminal acts.

You're not missing any deeper principle. I was just giving you the justification for why I made the thread the way I did versus using your example of finding a wallet on the ground. I happen to agree with you that taking from the bank is no better than taking from a neighbor; I was merely curious if others felt the same way.

Frankly, I'm kind of surprised that the votes have swung the way that they did but I'm not here to judge; I'm just here to see what others thought.

 

[micahrp]

What deeper principle I am missing?

All I see from the responses here is "targeting certain groups you don't like makes a criminal act against them justified" and so many in these forums seem to be against even feeling certain ways about groups you don't agree with, much less criminal acts.

You're not missing any deeper principle. I was just giving you the justification for why I made the thread the way I did versus using your example of finding a wallet on the ground. I happen to agree with you that taking from the bank is no better than taking from a neighbor; I was merely curious if others felt the same way.

Frankly, I'm kind of surprised that the votes have swung the way that they did but I'm not here to judge; I'm just here to see what others thought.

Oh sorry I didn't make myself clear. I was not commenting on the senario you presented, rather I am asking the people here what their deeper principle is that lets them act in a way that appears hypocritical.

 

[Baneat]

Be honest..

You would.

 

[Gomi500]

Honestly. To me, It depends how much. If a certain amount came out sure. Like a couple 100's. But if its like more then like 3,000 dollars and such. I wouldn't take it. I would hate it. I believe in luck yeah. Everybody needs a little luck on their side sure. But there a limit to how much luck i want, before I feel I didn't deserve it.

 

[lostlevel]

I don't know what I would do in that situation, I tend to feel overly guilty about this sort of thing.
However not to long ago in a small town/village a cash point malfunction and allowed people to take out money without being charged. Apparently people got to keep the money but I guess it was insured and the bank acted quite fast to stop it.

 

[FFP2]

Yup. The whole "fight the system" excuse. I wouldn't even disclose it to the IRS.

 

[BrassButtons]

Snip

Your post summarizes my feelings of this thread pretty well. It's disturbing that so many people are perfectly willing to steal provided 1)they won't get caught, and 2)they're stealing from a wealthy business instead of directly from an individual.

The argument that the money isn't coming from someone's account is, frankly, bullshit. The money is owned by the bank, and the people who run the bank have the exact same right to their property as you do to yours. If it's ok for you to keep money that the ATM accidentally spits out, then anyone who works at the bank can take money you accidentally leave on the counter.

I'm also loving the "they steal from me with their fees" argument. Um, no. You signed a contract agreeing to those fees, and are now bitching that you have to accept the consequences of that decision like an adult. You told the bank they could take your money in fees. That's not theft. If you have a problem with it too bad--put on your big kid undies and deal with it.