--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody steals in commerce and…" description: "\"“Everybody steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a lot myself. But I know how to steal”\" — Thomas Edison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg" --- # Everybody steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a… ![“Everybody steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a lot myself. But I know how to steal” quote by Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg) > ““Everybody steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a lot myself. But I know how to steal”” [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits widespread theft in business, claiming personal skill in it, highlighting moral ambiguity in commerce. **In simple terms:** People cheat in business and some think they’re skilled at it. Key Takeaway Recognize and address unethical practices. Themes ethics commerce honesty self‑awareness Mood critical cautious Type ethical business When to use this quote - business meetings - ethical training - self‑reflection Key Concepts theft industry norms personal admission Questions to Reflect On - What drives people to justify theft? - How can industries promote integrity? A Different Perspective Such admissions can undermine trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Everybody Steals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-steals-1695453/) [Know Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-steal-879337/) [Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal/) [Steals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steals/) [Steals Commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steals-commerce-3790152/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a lot, myself. But I know how to steal! They don't know how to steal!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/everyone-steals-in-commerce-and-industry-i-ve-stolen-a-lot-myself-but/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [A thief believes everybody steals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-thief-believes-everybody-steals/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't complain about everybody that steals your sound. You'll be fighting for years trying to figure out how to make people not steal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustard/you-can-t-complain-about-everybody-that-steals-your-sound-you-ll-be/) [Mustard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustard/) > [“Why does a steward steal? He steals because he's not sure he'll always remain with his master and wants to make his future secure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/why-does-a-steward-steal-he-steals-because-he-s-not-sure-he-ll-always/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“I know now that no one can “steal” boyfriends against their will, not even Angelina Jolie itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-know-now-that-no-one-can-steal-boyfriends-against-their-will-not/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I've taken stuff from people, too. You know though, if you steal from one person, you're just a thief. But if you steal from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-ve-taken-stuff-from-people-too-you-know-though-if-you-steal-from/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [“You know what I do? I steal things. Fuck 'em! I grab a handful of candy bars and six magazines and head for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-what-i-do-i-steal-things-fuck-em-i-grab-a-handful-of-candy/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The thing that sucks the most about it is that everybody steals music. You spend thousands and thousands of dollars to make a record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doyle-wolfgang-von-frankenstein/the-thing-that-sucks-the-most-about-it-is-that-everybody-steals-music/) [Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doyle-wolfgang-von-frankenstein/) > [“The Ego, The Thief that Steals Happiness from Our Hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-figueroa-otero/the-ego-the-thief-that-steals-happiness-from-our-hearts/) [Ivan Figueroa-Otero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-figueroa-otero/) > [For me to write I have to be, a, alone, and b, know that nobody is going to question me. I write the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-o-brien/for-me-to-write-i-have-to-be-a-alone-and-b-know-that-nobody-is-going/) [Edna O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-o-brien/) > [The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-robbed-that-smiles-steals-something-from-the-thief/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When someone steals another's clothes, we call them a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-someone-steals-another-s-clothes-we-call-them-a-thief-should-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anger is a thief who steals away the nice moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lunden/anger-is-a-thief-who-steals-away-the-nice-moments/) [Joan Lunden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lunden/) > [The thief you must fear the most is not the one who steals mere things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-marie-macdonald/the-thief-you-must-fear-the-most-is-not-the-one-who-steals-mere-things/) [Ann-Marie MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-marie-macdonald/) > [Everyone steals from something or someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-dickinson/everyone-steals-from-something-or-someone/) [Janice Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-dickinson/) ## More by Thomas Edison > [...to quit at all is to quit too soon!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/to-quit-at-all-is-to-quit-too-soon/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [“Nature is what we know. We do not know the gods of religions. And nature is not kind, or merciful, or loving. If God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/nature-is-what-we-know-we-do-not-know-the-gods-of-religions-and/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [Genius is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/genius-is-99-percent-perspiration-and-1-percent-inspiration/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [“There ain’t no rules around here. We’re trying to accomplish something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/there-ain-t-no-rules-around-here-we-re-trying-to-accomplish-something/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/genius-is-one-per-cent-inspiration-ninety-nine-per-cent-perspiration/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [If we did the things we were capable of doing we would literally astonish ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/if-we-did-the-things-we-were-capable-of-doing-we-would-literally/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [“Nearly every person who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then gets discouraged. That's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/nearly-every-person-who-develops-an-idea-works-at-it-up-to-the-point/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [“ He had all the attributes of a perfect man, and, in my opinion, no finer personality ever existed. {Edison's opinion of the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/he-had-all-the-attributes-of-a-perfect-man-and-in-my-opinion-no-finer/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [Tomorrow is my exam, but I don't care. Bcoz a single sheet of paper can't decide my future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/tomorrow-is-my-exam-but-i-don-t-care-bcoz-a-single-sheet-of-paper-can/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 things that do not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/i-have-not-failed-i-have-just-found-10-000-things-that-do-not-work/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [Oppurtunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/oppurtunity-is-missed-by-most-people-because-it-is-dressed-in/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [“ Tom Paine has almost no influence on present-day thinking in the United States because he is unknown to the average citizen. Perhaps I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/tom-paine-has-almost-no-influence-on-present-day-thinking-in-the/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [Opportunity is missed by most people, because its dressed in overalls and looks like work! Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/opportunity-is-missed-by-most-people-because-its-dressed-in-overalls/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) > [If we did all the things that we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/if-we-did-all-the-things-that-we-are-capable-of-doing-we-would/) [Thomas Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) [Explore all 15 Thomas Edison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everybody steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a lot myself. But I know how to steal”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Edison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industry-i-ve-stolen-a-lot-myself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industry-i-ve-stolen-a-lot-myself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/thomas-edison-33293_business_everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industr_2039746.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everybody steals in commerce and industry. I've stolen a lot myself. But I know how to steal” — Thomas Edison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Edison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-edison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everybody steals in commerce and industry....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industry-i-ve-stolen-a-lot-myself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-edison/everybody-steals-in-commerce-and-industry-i-ve-stolen-a-lot-myself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```