Originally Posted by jayeff

Utter nonsense.

Order, in our families, in our communities, at whatever level, is not visited on us by passing aliens and most of our behavior is dictated by what we recognize is deemed acceptable by those around us. When that is not enough by itself, we write laws to deter and punish those who (might) choose to ignore those standards.

But we set the standards and in doing so, we do change the world. That is the only thing which can. The only time that intolerable behavior is not treated as such, is when the majority of its (potential) victims refuse to condemn it.

I will agree to the extent that you cannot change human nature. Being a thief is a state of mind. A real thief is someone who, regardless of how much he has and whether he has the ability to earn more, wants to take what is yours. If you manage to block him one way, he will try to steal from you in another and sometimes he will be successful. But the number of real thieves is much smaller than the number of people who will steal when the opportunity is stuck under their noses. Failing to oppose scumware is the same as inviting all these bottom-feeding opportunists to rob you.