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Comment by dokem | Hacker News Reader

I hope they get away with it. Knowing that the royal jewels were successfully stolen is more interesting than looking at them behind some glass for 15 seconds.

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This mentality does not scale

Unrelated, but I think that this short phrase is a very good summary of Kantian ethics :)

So instead hidden away in some private stash, where no one will ever see them.

That seems... short-sighted.

There's a huge amount of 'interesting' things one can do which are illegal, immoral, depraved and worse. (I'd argue that stealing is generally at the very least illegal and immoral, but opinion may vary depending on who the 'injured' party is.)

Agreed. Its interesting and hilarious.

So cultural artifacts have no place in society then? Because they will only be looked at for 15 seconds?

Is "interesting" your #1 measure for the value of an action? That seems problematic. 9/11 was interesting as hell--we're still talking about it and retelling the stories.

Please don't take HN threads into pointless flamewars, like the below, regardless of how wrong some other comment is.

Did you just equate the theft of "royal" property with 9/11?

I was exaggerating to make a point, obviously. I'm saying there are some clear problems with the idea that crime is OK as long as it's entertaining enough.

Except that's not what they said, there's plenty of context in both their statement and this entire thread you're willfully ignoring to make that leap.

Which context is that? Dokem thinks that getting to read about a heist is more "interesting" than having historical objects available for public viewing. The only other person who agrees with him offers no reason except that it's "hilarious."

Do you think the historical value doesn't count because it was on public display at a church instead of a museum? Or because it was on loan from a private (royal) collection? Or just that it's okay to rob historical displays as long as it entertains you? I don't understand your argument.

Yes. I WOULD say that a crazy heist is more "interesting" than having them on public display.

And yes, it IS "hilarious".

Our modern entertainment is filled will movies, ect about crazy heists.

Crazy crimes can also be funny an entertaining. And nobody's feelings are being hurt because people think it is interesting.

Okay, so you're actually doubling down on "robbery is awesome as long as it entertains me, like the movies."

Sounds like we understand each other, then!

I don't understand yours. You're turning Dokem's specific comment about a museum heist into some kind of general attitude towards all crime being ok provided it's interesting.

The article clearly states nobody was hurt in the heist, there's no violence in this particular situation whatsoever and you're pulling in terrorists flying planes into skyscrapers.

Did you miss that Dokem's comment started "I hope they get away with it", or are you endorsing that part too?

I haven't endorsed anything, you're being ridiculous.

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