Scrolling Twitter–a practice I detest but is required for the job–does have its upside. I occasionally have an “aha” moment spurred on by an insight thrown out into the world by somebody else. It almost makes the drudgery of sorting the wheat from the chaff bearable. Almost.
We have all noticed that one of the downstream consequences of shoplifting is that our easy access to goods has been diminished by the lawlessness of others. Lots and lots and LOTS of others who regard societal norms as obstacles to their own desires. Along with other crimes, shoplifting has been increasing for years, and since the 2020 riots it has skyrocketed.
We are all painfully aware of the huge rise in shoplifting and even violent robberies of stores. We watch the videos of thugs brazenly raiding stores, and read about the organized crime rings that have sprung up to profit from the trend. Shoplifting has become a big, if criminal business. Chances are that if you use eBay to purchase a wide range of products at reduced prices you have unwittingly purchased stolen goods. No good way for eBay to stop the practice.
The consequences are both obvious and less so. Drug stores are closing in major cities, reducing access to basic goods for people who have decided to stick it out in the increasingly third-world-type urban areas. But there is an even more insidious consequence that spreads beyond those urban cores. Read more…
