--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People steal because taking something…" description: "\"“People steal because taking something gives them something. If they’re not in it for the money, they’re in it for control. The act of taking, of break..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/v-e-schwab-4952_breaking-the-rules_people-steal-because-taking-something-gi_3200824.jpg" --- # People steal because taking something gives them… ![“People steal because taking something gives them something. If they’re not in it for the money, they’re in it for control. The act of taking, of breaking the rules, makes them feel powerful. They’re in it for the sheer defiance. Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive.” quote by V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/v-e-schwab-4952_breaking-the-rules_people-steal-because-taking-something-gi_3200824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/v-e-schwab-4952_breaking-the-rules_people-steal-because-taking-something-gi_3200824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/v-e-schwab-4952_breaking-the-rules_people-steal-because-taking-something-gi_3200824.jpg) > ““People steal because taking something gives them something. If they’re not in it for the money, they’re in it for control. The act of taking, of breaking the rules, makes them feel powerful. They’re in it for the sheer defiance. Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive.”” [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People steal for various motives—control, defiance, survival, or thrill—highlighting complex psychological drives behind rule-breaking behavior. **In simple terms:** Stealing stems from deeper needs. Key Takeaway Address underlying motives, not just the act. Themes psychology crime motivation Mood concerned critical Type analytical practical When to use this quote - law enforcement - social work - education - personal counseling Key Concepts control defiance survival thrill seeking Questions to Reflect On - What interventions reduce the urge to steal? A Different Perspective Might oversimplify systemic causes of theft. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-steal-4454903/) [Breaking the rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-the-rules/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-steal-526194/) [Stay Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-alive/) [Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal/) [Steal Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal-taking-5942600/) [Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking/) ## Related quotes > [Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive. Simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab-2/some-people-steal-to-stay-alive-and-some-steal-to-feel-alive-simple/) [V. E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab-2/) > [I hate low life people who steal from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-low-life-people-who-steal-from-others/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's worse that people can steal from you than money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/there-s-worse-that-people-can-steal-from-you-than-money/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [If you are doing well there are some people who will do anything to steal your shine. Don't give them the reaction they're looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-doing-well-there-are-some-people-who-will-do-anything-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People will steal it if you don't make it easy to buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-ergen/people-will-steal-it-if-you-don-t-make-it-easy-to-buy-it/) [Charlie Ergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-ergen/) > [The only people who steal are thieves, and that's a very small percentage of civilization. Most people want to have some way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nesmith/the-only-people-who-steal-are-thieves-and-that-s-a-very-small/) [Michael Nesmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nesmith/) > [I try to live in a little bit of my own joy and not let people steal it or take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-try-to-live-in-a-little-bit-of-my-own-joy-and-not-let-people-steal/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [When you've got something really good, you don't have to force it on people. They will steal it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/when-you-ve-got-something-really-good-you-don-t-have-to-force-it-on/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [When people steal their facebook statuses of these websites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-steal-their-facebook-statuses-of-these-websites/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't let those people steal your day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/don-t-let-those-people-steal-your-day/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Dont let people steal your dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ruettiger/dont-let-people-steal-your-dreams/) [Rudy Ruettiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ruettiger/) > [People steal into one's consciousness and occupy what seems, in retrospect, to have been their place all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/people-steal-into-one-s-consciousness-and-occupy-what-seems-in/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [“Greeders who plunder and steal from their people - not only steal their supporters and their childrens' future, but they also smash their mindsets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dovale/greeders-who-plunder-and-steal-from-their-people-not-only-steal-their/) [Tony Dovale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dovale/) > [“How did people steal before computers? - Dogbert”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/how-did-people-steal-before-computers-dogbert/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“There are people who steal your energy or disrupt your energy field.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/there-are-people-who-steal-your-energy-or-disrupt-your-energy-field/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) ## More by V.E. Schwab > [“That was the hardest part of being plunged into a world where magic is possible. It made you wonder if everything was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/that-was-the-hardest-part-of-being-plunged-into-a-world-where-magic/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Growing up, his parents had written off his dreams as simply an effect of his reading too many novels, disappearing for hours - sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/growing-up-his-parents-had-written-off-his-dreams-as-simply-an-effect/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“It was cowardice, he knew, but cowardice came so much easier than hope. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/it-was-cowardice-he-knew-but-cowardice-came-so-much-easier-than-hope/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“It does nothing to dwell on what’s been taken from you,” he snarled. “Nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/it-does-nothing-to-dwell-on-what-s-been-taken-from-you-he-snarled/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“This woman, who is a force of nature. Who bends the world instead of bending for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/this-woman-who-is-a-force-of-nature-who-bends-the-world-instead-of/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Let them think what they want was a thought that visited him with far less frequency and force than They see you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/let-them-think-what-they-want-was-a-thought-that-visited-him-with-far/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“What she needs are stories. Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget. Stories come in so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/what-she-needs-are-stories-stories-are-a-way-to-preserve-one-s-self/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“It was better not to care—Lila tried not to care—but sometimes, people got in. Like a knife against armor, they found the cracks, slid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/it-was-better-not-to-care-lila-tried-not-to-care-but-sometimes-people/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“To clever plans,' said Kell, toasting his brother. 'And dashing princes.' 'To masked magicians,' said Rhy, swiping the wine. 'To mad ideas.' 'To the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/to-clever-plans-said-kell-toasting-his-brother-and-dashing-princes-to/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Rhy watched his brother move toward her as naturally as if the world had simply tipped. For Kell, apparently, it had”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/rhy-watched-his-brother-move-toward-her-as-naturally-as-if-the-world/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Names are important,” she said, twirling the cord. “Mine is Ojka, and I have orders to keep you out.” Beyond the doors, Kell let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/names-are-important-she-said-twirling-the-cord-mine-is-ojka-and-i/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“He didn’t want to rule the world. He only wanted to save it. Athos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/he-didn-t-want-to-rule-the-world-he-only-wanted-to-save-it-athos/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“There were a hundred shades between a truth and lie, and she knew them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/there-were-a-hundred-shades-between-a-truth-and-lie-and-she-knew-them/) [V.E. 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