--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not the goods that matter. It's the…" description: "\"It's not the goods that matter. It's the theft itself. That's what counts.\" — Walter Wykes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/walter-wykes-37166_goods_it-s-not-the-goods-that-matter-it-s-the_1105541.png" --- # It's not the goods that matter. It's the theft itself… ![“It's not the goods that matter. It's the theft itself. That's what counts.” quote by Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/walter-wykes-37166_goods_it-s-not-the-goods-that-matter-it-s-the_1105541.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/walter-wykes-37166_goods_it-s-not-the-goods-that-matter-it-s-the_1105541.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/148/walter-wykes-37166_goods_it-s-not-the-goods-that-matter-it-s-the_1105541.png) > “It's not the goods that matter. It's the theft itself. That's what counts.” [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The act of theft matters more than the stolen item, highlighting the moral impact of taking **In simple terms:** Stealing itself is the core issue Key Takeaway Focus on ethical behavior over material value Themes theft morality value justice Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - legal systems - personal relationships - corporate ethics - community trust Key Concepts Ethical philosophy social contract Questions to Reflect On - Why does the act of stealing cause more harm than the loss? - How can societies deter theft beyond punishment? A Different Perspective Sometimes the loss of value is less important than the breach of trust ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Theft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theft/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [“Theft is a fundamental of devilry, beach rat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-litt/theft-is-a-fundamental-of-devilry-beach-rat/) Ray Litt > [Stolen scrap like manhole covers, railroad weights, stop signs, guard rails, and public lighting put our residents in grave danger. Not only that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/stolen-scrap-like-manhole-covers-railroad-weights-stop-signs-guard/) [Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/) > [He who holds the ladder is as bad as the thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/german-proverb/he-who-holds-the-ladder-is-as-bad-as-the-thief/) German Proverb > [“A man who will steal for me will steal from me." Theodore Roosevelt, dismissing on the spot one of his best cowhands who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mccullough/a-man-who-will-steal-for-me-will-steal-from-me-theodore-roosevelt/) David G. McCullough > [It's no crime to steal from a thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/it-s-no-crime-to-steal-from-a-thief/) Proverb > [“Has there been anyone who committed theft that he might further the interests of his villagers?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/has-there-been-anyone-who-committed-theft-that-he-might-further-the/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“The ring which you are holding, my friend, is identical to that one. I had it cut according to the model of the king's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-lorrain/the-ring-which-you-are-holding-my-friend-is-identical-to-that-one-i/) [Jean Lorrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-lorrain/) > [Property is theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/property-is-theft/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fear is a thief because fear robs you before you even begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fear-is-a-thief-because-fear-robs-you-before-you-even-begin/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Every true man's apparel fits your thief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/every-true-man-s-apparel-fits-your-thief/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Having no applicable skills, in any possible area whatsoever, effectively makes me the master of redundancy. But that info is obsolete, like my insults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/having-no-applicable-skills-in-any-possible-area-whatsoever/) Will Advise > [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/) > [“He was walking around in circles, the smell of the old furniture suddenly very distinct. There was a newspaper in his hand and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ackroyd/he-was-walking-around-in-circles-the-smell-of-the-old-furniture/) [Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ackroyd/) ## More by Walter Wykes > [The absurdist is concerned with the search for meaning in the Universe. He believes this search to be meaningless--hence the disintegration of plot, character,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/the-absurdist-is-concerned-with-the-search-for-meaning-in-the/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [In Las Vegas, nothing ends very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/in-las-vegas-nothing-ends-very-well/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [Las Vegas, Nevada: A city where oddities don't make you lame, But instead bring you riches and fortune and fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/las-vegas-nevada-a-city-where-oddities-don-t-make-you-lame-but/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [It doesn't matter what kind of world we live in as long as we have each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/it-doesn-t-matter-what-kind-of-world-we-live-in-as-long-as-we-have/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [I am a rune a carrot a little joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/i-am-a-rune-a-carrot-a-little-joke/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [We've been told there's a certain way to live ... that this is living ... and we ... we never really questioned it. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/we-ve-been-told-there-s-a-certain-way-to-live-that-this-is-living-and/) [WALTER WYKES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [There's nothing like a deadline to get the old blood flowing. All the juices, really. It doesn't follow, if you think about it. You'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/there-s-nothing-like-a-deadline-to-get-the-old-blood-flowing-all-the/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [As soon as we get comfortable in one role, we have to take on another! Why? ... Because he wants to keep us off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/as-soon-as-we-get-comfortable-in-one-role-we-have-to-take-on-another/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [Most complaints, you know, aren't won or lost on their own merits, but rather on larger issues--politics and the position of the planets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/most-complaints-you-know-aren-t-won-or-lost-on-their-own-merits-but/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [Fate is a manifestation of natural causes. That's it. It's not a conscious entity. It has no plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/fate-is-a-manifestation-of-natural-causes-that-s-it-it-s-not-a/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) > [What if we're all like that? Like ghosts ... in someone's mind ... gradually fading ... fading ... until finally ... one day ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wykes/what-if-we-re-all-like-that-like-ghosts-in-someone-s-mind-gradually/) [Walter Wykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) [Explore all 12 Walter Wykes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wykes/) ## More Goods quotes > [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [One of the Internet's highest-profile companies, Priceline once dreamed of transforming the way consumer goods are bought and sold by offering customers the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/one-of-the-internet-s-highest-profile-companies-priceline-once/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [“The odds may be good, but the goods may be odd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerusha-jones/the-odds-may-be-good-but-the-goods-may-be-odd/) Jerusha Jones > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) > [I haven't talked to any young artists for a long time. But if we did sit down, I'd definitely tell them my viewpoint. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/i-haven-t-talked-to-any-young-artists-for-a-long-time-but-if-we-did/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [The US has developed two coordinate governing classes: the one, called 'business,' building cities, manufacturing and distributing goods, and holding complete and autocratic power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-arnold/the-us-has-developed-two-coordinate-governing-classes-the-one-called/) [Thurman Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-arnold/) > [In reality no food is valued solely for its nutritive power and no garment or house solely for the protection it affords against cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/in-reality-no-food-is-valued-solely-for-its-nutritive-power-and-no/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Rich widows are the only second-hand goods that sell at prime cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/rich-widows-are-the-only-second-hand-goods-that-sell-at-prime-cost/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Barge traffic on the Mississippi River represents the most efficient, most cost-effective, most environmentally sound means of transporting commodity goods from this region of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-boswell/barge-traffic-on-the-mississippi-river-represents-the-most-efficient/) [Leonard Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-boswell/) > [The End is included among goods of the soul, and not among external goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-end-is-included-among-goods-of-the-soul-and-not-among-external/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It's a topsy-turvy world in which a country can import the same amount of ice-cream, toilet paper and other goods to trading partners as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-simms/it-s-a-topsy-turvy-world-in-which-a-country-can-import-the-same/) [Andrew Simms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-simms/) Browse all 1,114 Goods quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not the goods that matter. 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