NationStates Jolt Archive

I've recently found myself in an odd situation. The wireless service I used to use, for some odd reason, offered subscriptions to magazines at about half the price the subscription would normally cost. I normally read Macleans, so I figured hey, it's cheap. I get an issue every week and easch month $2 is added onto my bill. not bad. Shortly afterward, however, I cancelled my service with them to switch to a better provider. I haven't been getting billed at all since then, yet the magazines have continued to come. At first I thought "hey cool, free magazines" but then I realized "but if I don't tell them, I'm basically stealing from them" so I decided to tell them. My question is, would YOU let them know this was happening if you were in a similar situation?

Poll incoming

At first I thought "hey cool, free magazines" but then I realized "but if I don't tell them, I'm basically stealing from them"
It's hardly stealing if they're willingly sending them to you. Okay, so they meant to charge you and something's gone wrong, but that's down to their ineptitude and not some evilness on your part.

I would let them know. I have no intentions nor would I be comfortable of breaking the 8th and 9th commandments.

down to their ineptitude and not some evilness on your part.
Yep.

It's hardly stealing if they're willingly sending them to you. Okay, so they meant to charge you and something's gone wrong, but that's down to their ineptitude and not some evilness on your part.
Precisely. It's not stealing if they forget to bill you for it. They are sending it to you; you're not lifting it from the shelf and leaving without paying.

you probably still owed the money to the wireless company rather than the magazine. i would have called the wireless co to see what was up with it (if i ever remembered that i owed money)

what did they say when you told them?

While it isn't technically stealing, to keep getting the magazines without paying for them would be unfairly taking advantage of someone's honest mistake. I would attempt to rectify the situation because it would still be a situation which warranted rectifying, even though there was no malice on my part.

you probably still owed the money to the wireless company rather than the magazine. i would have called the wireless co to see what was up with it (if i ever remembered that i owed money)

what did they say when you told them?

They basically said "thanks for letting us know, we'll fix the problem"

Olara']While it isn't technically stealing, to keep getting the magazines without paying for them would be unfairly taking advantage of someone's honest mistake. I would attempt to rectify the situation because it would still be a situation which warranted rectifying, even though there was no malice on my part.
recieving benifit for something that would normally be paid for, and for which you are not paying is stealing.

If I go to the walmart and pay with a $20 and they give me change for a $50 and I don't bring it to thier attention and turn in the extra money, then I stole that money.

recieving benifit for something that would normally be paid for, and for which you are not paying is stealing.
That seems like a definition constructed purely for a specific result. Furthermore, it would imply charity is stealing as your getting something for free for which people would usually pay. I'd propose this definition:

Stealing is that act of claiming someone else's material possession as your own, against their will, and without recompense, unless the law allows otherwise.

That seems like a definition constructed purely for a specific result. Furthermore, it would imply charity is stealing as your getting something for free for which people would usually pay. I'd propose this definition:

Stealing is that act of claiming someone else's material possession as your own, against their will, and without recompense, unless the law allows otherwise.
charity is not stealing just as recieving gifts at Christmas is not stealing.
I was in fact too general with my definition. (it happens sometimes, I have small children so my first thought is always to simplify)

stealing by omission is stealing just like lying by omission is lying.

if it isn't a gift or something borrowed and it isn't yours and you didn't pay for it, you stole it.

That seems like a definition constructed purely for a specific result. Furthermore, it would imply charity is stealing as your getting something for free for which people would usually pay. I'd propose this definition:

Stealing is that act of claiming someone else's material possession as your own, against their will, and without recompense, unless the law allows otherwise.
i would claim that stealing has a moral and ethical definition, not just a legal one.