--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a little like stealing. It was…" description: "\"“It was a little like stealing. It was exactly like stealing. It was, in fact, stealing. But there was no law against it because no one knew the crime ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/terry-pratchett-19_stealing_it-was-a-little-like-stealing-it-was-exa_2392580.jpg" --- # It was a little like stealing. It was exactly like… ![“It was a little like stealing. It was exactly like stealing. It was, in fact, stealing. But there was no law against it because no one knew the crime existed, so is it really stealing if what’s stolen isn’t missed? And is it stealing if you’re stealing from thieves? Anyway, all property is theft…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/terry-pratchett-19_stealing_it-was-a-little-like-stealing-it-was-exa_2392580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/terry-pratchett-19_stealing_it-was-a-little-like-stealing-it-was-exa_2392580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/terry-pratchett-19_stealing_it-was-a-little-like-stealing-it-was-exa_2392580.jpg) > ““It was a little like stealing. It was exactly like stealing. It was, in fact, stealing. But there was no law against it because no one knew the crime existed, so is it really stealing if what’s stolen isn’t missed? And is it stealing if you’re stealing from thieves? Anyway, all property is theft, except mine.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions the paradox of theft when the act is unknown or socially accepted, suggesting that all ownership is a form of appropriation. **In simple terms:** Stealing feels different when it's unseen or from thieves; all property is a kind of theft. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions about ownership and moral ambiguity. Themes morality property paradox ethics Mood thoughtful provocative Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - legal loopholes - intellectual property - resource sharing - political protest - personal ethics Key Concepts social construct ownership theory relativism Questions to Reflect On - What defines theft beyond legal definitions? - Can ownership be ethically justified? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify complex legal and ethical issues around property rights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Property Is Theft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property-is-theft/) ## Related quotes > [Stealing is stealing, whether you use a computer command or a crowbar, and whether you take documents, data or dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-ortiz/stealing-is-stealing-whether-you-use-a-computer-command-or-a-crowbar/) Carmen Ortiz > [To explain too much is to steal a person's opportunity to learn, and stealing is against the Law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-buckley/to-explain-too-much-is-to-steal-a-person-s-opportunity-to-learn-and/) Thomas Buckley > [All property is theft, except mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/all-property-is-theft-except-mine/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I get that rush that comes when you know you're doing something wrong and are getting away with it, like stealing from the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-get-that-rush-that-comes-when-you-know-you-re-doing-something-wrong/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Wasting food is like stealing from the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/wasting-food-is-like-stealing-from-the-poor/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Throwing away good food was like stealing from poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/throwing-away-good-food-was-like-stealing-from-poor-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Stealing from a clever is like stealing from yourself, it is hypothetical”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/stealing-from-a-clever-is-like-stealing-from-yourself-it-is/) [Dr.P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [It seems to me like stealing, for men and women to live in the world and do nothing to make it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-orne-jewett/it-seems-to-me-like-stealing-for-men-and-women-to-live-in-the-world/) [Sarah Orne Jewett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-orne-jewett/) > [Stealing is stealing. I don't care if it's on the Internet or you're breaking into a warehouse somewhere - it's theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/stealing-is-stealing-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-on-the-internet-or-you-re/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [“If a man looks upon any other man and estimates that man as less than himself, then he is stealing from the other. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/if-a-man-looks-upon-any-other-man-and-estimates-that-man-as-less-than/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [Property is theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/property-is-theft/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Property is theft. Nobody "owns" anything. When you die, it all stays here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/property-is-theft-nobody-owns-anything-when-you-die-it-all-stays-here/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [At times some people use force or fraud to take from others without willful, voluntary consent. Normally, the initiation of force to take life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-schoolland/at-times-some-people-use-force-or-fraud-to-take-from-others-without/) [Ken Schoolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-schoolland/) > [Give your goods to the poor: Christ. Property is theft - as long as it's not mine: Marx .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/give-your-goods-to-the-poor-christ-property-is-theft-as-long-as-it-s/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [One philosopher has rightly said that property is theft. But I'd like to use my future ownership of property to give something back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-philosopher-has-rightly-said-that-property-is-theft-but-i-d-like/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Stealing quotes > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [When I became Miss World, I couldn't believe I had won it. I used to sleep with my crown because I was scared someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-became-miss-world-i-couldn-t-believe-i-had-won-it-i-used-to/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [The poor and ignorant will continue to lie and steal as long as the rich and educated show them how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-poor-and-ignorant-will-continue-to-lie-and-steal-as-long-as-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [All money represents theft… To steal from the rich is a sacred and religious act. While looting, a man to his own self is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rubin/all-money-represents-theft-to-steal-from-the-rich-is-a-sacred-and/) [Jerry Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rubin/) > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) Peire Cardenal > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“Well, make up your mind. I don’t have all night.” Fidelia set her beer on the porch and removed a set of keys from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/well-make-up-your-mind-i-don-t-have-all-night-fidelia-set-her-beer-on/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [Every now and then we could steal somebody else's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/every-now-and-then-we-could-steal-somebody-else-s-stuff/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [a TEN-YEAR-OLD lad in Indianapolis who was arrested for picking up coal along the side of railroad tracks is now in jail. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-jones/a-ten-year-old-lad-in-indianapolis-who-was-arrested-for-picking-up/) Mother Jones > [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/) > [Know your literary tradition, savor it, steal from it, but when you sit down to write, forget about worshiping greatness and fetishizing masterpieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/know-your-literary-tradition-savor-it-steal-from-it-but-when-you-sit/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [To feel that your hours are filled to overflowing, that you can barely steal minutes enough for sleep, that the welfare of many is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/to-feel-that-your-hours-are-filled-to-overflowing-that-you-can-barely/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Watch yourself with all diligence, lest the enemy steals near and robs you, depriving you of this great treasure, which is inner peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-scupoli/watch-yourself-with-all-diligence-lest-the-enemy-steals-near-and-robs/) [Lorenzo Scupoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-scupoli/) Browse all 1,906 Stealing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was a little like stealing. 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