--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's an obsession, within our culture…" description: "\"There's an obsession, within our culture, with the genteel thief. Somebody who commits a crime, but does it in a classy way.\" — Geoffrey Gray" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/geoffrey-gray-54684_commit_there-s-an-obsession-within-our-culture_1086303.jpg" --- # There's an obsession, within our culture, with the genteel… ![“There's an obsession, within our culture, with the genteel thief. Somebody who commits a crime, but does it in a classy way.” quote by Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/geoffrey-gray-54684_commit_there-s-an-obsession-within-our-culture_1086303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/geoffrey-gray-54684_commit_there-s-an-obsession-within-our-culture_1086303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/geoffrey-gray-54684_commit_there-s-an-obsession-within-our-culture_1086303.jpg) > “There's an obsession, within our culture, with the genteel thief. Somebody who commits a crime, but does it in a classy way.” [Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society romanticizes criminals who act with style, blurring moral lines between elegance and wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** We admire classy criminals. Key Takeaway Question the allure of stylish crime. Themes culture morality heroism Mood critical analytical Type cultural philosophical When to use this quote - media analysis - crime fiction critique Key Concepts glamorization ethical ambiguity Questions to Reflect On - Why do we find elegant crime appealing? - Does style excuse immorality? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) ## Related quotes > [Owning things is an obsession in our culture. If we own it, we feel we can control it; and if we control it, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/owning-things-is-an-obsession-in-our-culture-if-we-own-it-we-feel-we/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [I hate the anglicanisation of culture, the idea that culture is genteel. It's not genteel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-harrison/i-hate-the-anglicanisation-of-culture-the-idea-that-culture-is/) [Tony Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-harrison/) > [Nobody ever commits a crime without doing something stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/nobody-ever-commits-a-crime-without-doing-something-stupid/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Whoever commits a crime strengthens his enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/whoever-commits-a-crime-strengthens-his-enemy/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [Whenever man commits a crime heaven finds a witness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/whenever-man-commits-a-crime-heaven-finds-a-witness/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [A traitor commits his crime but once. The rest/is retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/a-traitor-commits-his-crime-but-once-the-rest-is-retribution/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [The true criminal must be defined as a man who commits a crime though he is as decently fed and clothed as others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/the-true-criminal-must-be-defined-as-a-man-who-commits-a-crime-though/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [The difference between theft and destruction is often a few keystrokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-alperovitch/the-difference-between-theft-and-destruction-is-often-a-few-keystrokes/) [Dmitri Alperovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-alperovitch/) > [“You give a guy a license to steal, you've got to expect him to use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/you-give-a-guy-a-license-to-steal-you-ve-got-to-expect-him-to-use-it/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [If war comes upon us, it will come as a thief in the night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-de-valera/if-war-comes-upon-us-it-will-come-as-a-thief-in-the-night/) [Eamon de Valera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-de-valera/) > [Procrastination is the thief of time: Year after year it steals, till all are fled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/procrastination-is-the-thief-of-time-year-after-year-it-steals-till/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Hunger makes a thief of any man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/hunger-makes-a-thief-of-any-man/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The back-doore robs the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-back-doore-robs-the-house/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Your thief looks Exactly like the rest, or rather better; 'Tis only at the bar, and in the dungeon, That wise men know your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/your-thief-looks-exactly-like-the-rest-or-rather-better-tis-only-at/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Geoffrey Gray > [Not only was Dan Cooper likely an alias, but many people suspected at the time were people living under assumed names. The '50s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-gray/not-only-was-dan-cooper-likely-an-alias-but-many-people-suspected-at/) [Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) > [One of the things, universally, that psychologists found with hijackers in the early '70s was that they all struggled with women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-gray/one-of-the-things-universally-that-psychologists-found-with-hijackers/) [Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) > [One of the clues that I chased was that Dan Cooper, whoever he was, found an old magazine story called "How to Leave Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-gray/one-of-the-clues-that-i-chased-was-that-dan-cooper-whoever-he-was/) [Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) > [Mad Men - it seems like they try to capture this glamorized version of the '50s and '60s advertising culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-gray/mad-men-it-seems-like-they-try-to-capture-this-glamorized-version-of/) [Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) > [We're attracted to bad guys, and we like to follow bad guys, because they do things that we want to do but just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-gray/we-re-attracted-to-bad-guys-and-we-like-to-follow-bad-guys-because/) [Geoffrey Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) [Explore all 6 Geoffrey Gray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-gray/) ## More Commit quotes > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Progress is the injustice each generation commits with regard to its predecessors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/progress-is-the-injustice-each-generation-commits-with-regard-to-its/) [Emile M. 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I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-like-to-always-wash-the-slate-clean-and-reinvigorate-my-spirit-to/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [You get a script and you love it. You find a director that you trust, and it becomes all about how do I commit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-der-beek/you-get-a-script-and-you-love-it-you-find-a-director-that-you-trust/) [James Van Der Beek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-der-beek/) > [Ok, look. I'm honest. Girl I can't lie I miss you. You and the music were the only things that I'd commit to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/ok-look-i-m-honest-girl-i-can-t-lie-i-miss-you-you-and-the-music-were/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [A man must commit a crime at least once in his life-time. Only then will his virtue be recognized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girish-karnad/a-man-must-commit-a-crime-at-least-once-in-his-life-time-only-then/) Girish Karnad > [“A man, who does not commit an evil act either, has no opportunity or the stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/a-man-who-does-not-commit-an-evil-act-either-has-no-opportunity-or/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [One day I may commit to a city and settle down and do the restaurant thing - when I'm ready and however and whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-kish/one-day-i-may-commit-to-a-city-and-settle-down-and-do-the-restaurant/) Kristen Kish > [Love and commit. Not hit and quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhecky/love-and-commit-not-hit-and-quit/) [Jhecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhecky/) Browse all 1,824 Commit quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's an obsession, within our culture, with the genteel thief. 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