Justified Theft? I Think Not.

Disclaimer: This is a response to the prompt, "Choose a moral dilemma and argue the opposite position to what you believe."

I will use personal pronouns in this writing. Their use does not imply this writer's agreement with any statements made.

To recap the issue:

"Your partner or spouse is gravely ill and you have run out of money. There is an expensive medication that the doctors say will help your partner, but you cannot afford it. The neighborhood pharmacy, however, has it in stock and it's not locked away. Do you steal the medication?"

The problem at hand is clear. I must decide whether or not love overrides obedience of the law. The ideas of selfishness and selflessness can both be applied here. If I steal the medication, I am breaking the law, taking profits from a business, and depriving paying customers of the medication they may also need. For that, I am selfish. Or, if I steal the medication, I have put the needs of my partner above my own and have risked my freedom for their well-being. For that, I am selfless. More simply, to steal, or not to steal?

I will side with the latter, and not steal the medication. At the base of the issue, stealing is both legally and morally (for the purposes of this example) wrong. A good citizen should obey the law if at all possible. Sure, there's a possibility I could steal the medication, get away with it, and my partner could recover. Let's think about the alternative for a moment. If the pharmacy hasn't secured an expensive medication, they'll most certainly be keeping an eye on it. The likelihood and consequences of being caught outweigh the possible benefits. If I steal the medication, get caught, and go to jail for a time, what happens? My partner is still without medication, my income no longer helps pay the bills, and my partner loses their closest caregiver. I'd much rather enjoy what time we have left together than risk them dying alone.

I've already touched on the principle a bit, so I'll recap. Stealing is illegal, no matter how justified one might believe it is. Regardless of the perceived benefits, theft is not a victimless crime.

- The Admiral