Why do people steal?

The Obvious Question

When a cashier at a store gives you back a little too much change, do you always give it back? This week, we try to understand for ourselves what motivates petty theft. As you’ll hear, some jerks stole from Joe (he tells the story), and we try to understand what could be going on in the head of someone who is taking from someone else (when it isn’t a life or death situation). We usually try to stay away from questions that have been well-researched and already have answers, but with this one we’re trying to come at it from a more personal perspective than an academic or psychological one - what does it mean to us for someone to steal like this and how does it shape our thinking about people who do it? Check out the conversation and then let us know what you think at obviousquestion.wordpress.com or on our FaceBook page @obviousquestion Subscribe to The Obvious Question podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.