What is the reason for the massive retail looting?

[Basil the Great]

No doubt there are multiple reasons. Some will blame all this on the pandemic and others on inflation, while some will even point to a reduction in police ranks around the country. Personally, I am 100% convinced that the key reason is the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and related cases like it. What think the rest of you?

 

[grasping the after wind]

No doubt there are multiple reasons. Some will blame all this on the pandemic and others on inflation, while some will even point to a reduction in police ranks around the country. Personally, I am 100% convinced that the key reason is the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and related cases like it. What think the rest of you?

The immediate reason is that it is safe and lucrative to do so. In a society that has been given over to materialism and hedonism, as long as one has been assured by the authorities that one can get away with something, one has no reason to refrain. The pandemic is innocent in this case and inflation is more a result than a cause of widespread theft. Why would George Floyd's death cause people to become thieves? I don't see the connection between one man's murder and people looting stores other than using the one as a lame excuse for the other. That latter may have been the case last year but i don't think the current situation has anything to do with needing an excuse.

 

[Albion]

Not George Floyd. It's more about opportunism among people who feel that life owes them something. And because the incidents of late have been in areas that have been weakening their police protection recently, that has provided them with the opportunity.

If this kind of theft and destruction soon spreads to small cities and rural areas all across the country, that guess will have to be reconsidered. But not until and if.

 

[IWalkAlone]

How is looting stores helping black America? The reason people are looting is because they are theives.

 

[durangodawood]

It appears to be organized retail robbery, and not looting. The stores are open. There's not riots or natural disasters to take advantage of.

 

[Basil the Great]

How is looting stores helping black America? The reason people are looting is because they are theives.

(1) I suppose that the looters are letting of emotional stress by believing that they are getting back at the white power structure that has worked against them for 400+ years.
(2) I guess the looters achieve some small economic gain by looting, though probably not much.

I do agree that opportunism is a big factor, as police have resigned and retired all across the country in recent months. However, I still stand by George Floyd's death and related police issues as the main reason behind all this. Albion, all I can can say about your comment is, God help us, if this spreads to small towns and rural areas.

 

[grasping the after wind]

It appears to be organized retail robbery, and not looting. The stores are open. There's not riots or natural disasters to take advantage of.

You forgot War. Looting occurs during War. We have a War on drugs , a War on poverty and a culture war currently being waged. We seem to be losing each one of them.

 

[durangodawood]

You forgot War. Looting occurs during War. We have a War on drugs , a War on poverty and a culture war currently being waged. We seem to be losing each one of them.

Yeah real wars should count for the proper definition. But not metaphorical ones.

 

[IWalkAlone]

(1) I suppose that the looters are letting of emotional stress by believing that they are getting back at the white power structure that has worked against them for 400+ years.
(2) I guess the looters achieve some small economic gain by looting, though probably not much.

I do agree that opportunism is a big factor, as police have resigned and retired all across the country in recent months. However, I still stand by George Floyd's death and related police issues as the main reason behind all this. Albion, all I can can say about your comment is, God help us, if this spreads to small towns and rural areas.

the main reason is they are theives. They rob even black owned businesses.

 

[BNR32FAN]

No doubt there are multiple reasons. Some will blame all this on the pandemic and others on inflation, while some will even point to a reduction in police ranks around the country. Personally, I am 100% convinced that the key reason is the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and related cases like it. What think the rest of you?

That was just one of the excuses people used in an attempt to justify their greed. No the reason is plain & simple if enough people are doing it you’ll get away with it.

 

[Basil the Great]

You forgot War. Looting occurs during War. We have a War on drugs , a War on poverty and a culture war currently being waged. We seem to be losing each one of them.

We are indeed losing the war on drugs or so it would seem according to the latest news reports.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Yeah real wars should count for the proper definition. But not metaphorical ones.

AFAIAC whether it is called looting or not is unimportant. It is a sign of societal and governmental disfunction.

 

[IWalkAlone]

Yeah real wars should count for the proper definition. But not metaphorical ones.

There is a disaster, its the riots themselves and looters took atvantage.

 

[grasping the after wind]

We are indeed losing the war on drugs or so it would seem according to the latest news reports.

One should refrain from declaring war upon an enemy that one is powerless to defeat.

 

[BNR32FAN]

We are indeed losing the war on drugs or so it would seem according to the latest news reports.

Yeah especially when states are legalizing them.

 

[Sparagmos]

Possibly it’s a fad. Some people did it and it worked, it was spread on social media and now others are doing it. Why? To get free stuff they can’t afford and because they believe they are getting taken advantage of by the system/employers/rich people so why not do the same?

 

[Albion]

the main reason is they are theives. They rob even black owned businesses.

Well, that much is true. However, the issue concerns the massive operation that occurred recently with a large number of thieves working in concert according to a prearranged plan, having blocked off the streets, etc. etc. etc. That was nothing we could call "usual."

Not even if there are spontaneous acts of looting in large cities following riots caused by claims of police brutality or whatever.

 

[Basil the Great]

Possibly it’s a fad. Some people did it and it worked, it was spread on social media and now others are doing it. Why? To get free stuff they can’t afford and because they believe they are getting taken advantage of by the system/employers/rich people so why not do the same?

We can only hope that it is a passing fad. If this trend were to continue and get worse, our current inflation rate may seem tame in 6-12 months, as stores will have to raise prices all the more.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Possibly it’s a fad. Some people did it and it worked, it was spread on social media and now others are doing it. Why? To get free stuff they can’t afford and because they believe they are getting taken advantage of by the system/employers/rich people so why not do the same?

Ruining people's livelihood is a fairly heinous fad. There is organized robbery going on not just a few dolts using leftist ideological excuses for their bad behavior because they saw it on Youtube.

 

[public hermit]

No doubt there are multiple reasons. Some will blame all this on the pandemic and others on inflation, while some will even point to a reduction in police ranks around the country. Personally, I am 100% convinced that the key reason is the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and related cases like it. What think the rest of you?

I don't think it is related to anything other than someone figured out how to steal and lower the chances of getting caught. I think the idea is, the more people involved, the lower the probability that any one person gets caught. It's just another form of organized crime, i.e. people working together to do rotten stuff. And, of course, now it's trending.