At least partly, maybe.
I’ll be honest: I fantasize fairly regularly about being a “hero” and “saving the day”, like stopping a shooter or something like that, cuz I’m just so, so desperate for my life to have meaning or a purpose. I just feel like if I did a heroic act like that, maybe I’d finally feel at peace, that I had finally fulfilled my “purpose” and “reason for being here”.
I don’t support tackling shoplifters or anything like that just to clarify, I just think I might understand at least a little bit why someone would feel motivated to do so.
Please god steal from the store… less shit for me to condition
It tracks, its always the most empty consumers doing that shit
It’s a way for them to feel like a hero, but without putting themselves at too much risk because stopping shoplifting is approved by the status quo so everyone but the shoplifter is on your side in that situation, including a heavily militarized police force. Sure the shoplifter might be dangerous, but you have the other customers, the staff and the law protecting you, so it is a much, much more dangerous situation for the shoplifter.
Even if I had lib brain I don’t think that’s me at all, I’m so afraid of confrontation even in a scenario where I have 100% of the moral high ground I still avoid it. I would never have the nerve to stop a shoplifter who is doing like no material harm to anyone at all.
