Roughly 13-17% of the US lives in poverty.
In 2009, the reported property crime rate was 3,036 per 100,000 (or about 3%).
(From Wikipedia, take with a grain of salt.)
Assuming that under-reporting cancels out the fact that each crime is likely not committed by a unique individual, and some of these crimes may not be committed by people below the poverty line, the overwhelming majority of those in poverty would appear to disagree with you. If that isn’t convincing enough, compare the violent crime rate (about 0.4%) to whatever estimate you wish to give of the number of people who have been so angry that they thought it would make them feel good to hit somebody (hint: it’s probably more than 0.4% of the population).
I would have thought that it was self-evident that people of reasonable intellect and temperament play by the rules even when it doesn’t give them exactly what they desire at that moment; I was wrong.
Or so that you uphold rules designed to benefit the group as a whole, depending on when you’re posting. I’m a theist, and fully certain that you will think my understanding of rules and morality is complete and utter crap. However, even secular individuals recognize in some way that if you decide to do whatever you want, it is logical to conclude that other people might decide to do the same in a fashion which harms you. And it logically follows that when enough people think this way, then might makes right. And those who are rich and seek to become richer take advantage of those who are poor. And you’re right back where you started.
But since you’ve concocted the brilliant amendment of “well, it’s cool to steal if you’re poor enough”, explain to me what level of income is required to be at the point where you don’t have to steal from anyone. Does it vary by person? If so, who determines it? Hopefully not the individual in question; there are studies that suggest a good chunk of people determine whether they have “enough” based on how they compare to people around them.
You certainly seem to sympathize with “I want stuff, I should take it” a lot more than “I have stuff that I plan to sell in order to make my living, I hope nobody takes it.” You also appear to believe that a poor store owner who is not stealing is incapable of using logic in addition to being beyond stupid.
I get why these guys are doing what they are doing. We have been through this:
#1. They want something and think that stealing it is the best way to obtain it.
#2. They do not care or are oblivious to the fact that they are treating another person unfairly in the process.
There’s actually a word for people who exhibit this kind of behaviour on a regular basis. They’re called “sociopaths”. You can look it up in any form of dictionary you wish, but I’m afraid that there are no references to “the game” and whether it is “working for them”.
I will add that I am not in complete shock and awe that things of this sort are happening. People have been finding new ways to suck for years. Nor am I trying to display contempt for them as human beings or claim unquestioned moral superiority. I am merely calling selfish, wrong behaviour for what it is. Furthermore, there are enough legitimate victims who are in a similar situation who are not conducting themselves in such a manner that I believe the criminals in question are acting without excuse.