The Politics of Everything Podcast: Behind the Shoplifting Panic

On any given day, it’s easy to find a new video on the internet or social media purporting to show a violent retail theft. Such videos make riveting viewing, and-coupled with reports from chain retailers about a plague of theft affecting their bottom lines-might suggest we’re in a golden age of shoplifting. The reality, however, is likely much more complex. On episode 73 of The Politics of Everything, co-hosts Laura Marsh and Alex Pareene chat with New York magazine staff writer James D. Walsh about how organized retail theft has evolved over the past decade, and with Amanda Mull, staff writer at The Atlantic, about the puzzling lack of data about theft and what other factors could be contributing to the perception of a great shoplifting surge.

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not only big city- observed a coastaakbregon town Walmart w/ women had overflowing cart, walked briskly out and greeter calmly knocked on security's door - nothing done, period

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211 PEOPLE WATCHED THIS NOUGH SAID

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what self service in 1970s? at the gas station? ahhahah wow this video is already horribly made

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Alex Pareene AHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH WOW NO WONDER THESE SIMPS ARE SO WEAK HAHAHAHAHHAH