re: #164 Citizen K

But seriously, it’s some weird fucking deification of the rich, ascribing some virtue that the rich could NEVER, EVER steal because why would they, they already get money! Like, the very ownership of vast amounts of money makes someone a saint. You know, not even getting into the idea that maybe the reason they have all that money is because they got it through illicit means…

It goes to motive. The idea most people have is that you don’t need to steal something that you already have a lot of (I don’t need to steal a loaf of bread because I have two at home). The problem with this line of thinking is that it ascribes only one possible motive to theft, particularly “need.” But history has shown us a million times (and its a favorite trope of storytelling) that the wealthy can and will commit illegal acts not because of “need” but because of “want.” In some cases, it’s an attempt to have a bigger bank account than the other guy - a means of keeping score. In others, it’s the idea of having something unique and only letting a select few enjoy it - so, I’m going to buy that Monet that might have been stolen by the Nazis and then sold on the black market, and keep it in my bathroom rather than give it to a museum.