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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 5, 2022

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I am confused. How does the issuance of a warrant establish that Brinton stole the bag due to a "continually escalating fetish"? Can you elaborate?

ETA:

Let me propose an alternate theory: Brinton liked the way the bags looked and stole them because they wanted to use the bags themselves. Note how this squares with the fact that Brinton was seen at another airport using the first bag they stole. If Brinton only cared about the contents of the bag and not the bag itself, why keep the bag and use it at another airport?

It isn’t the issuance of the warrant. It is how this dude has apparently done it twice.

That suggests he is either a general kleptomaniac or was targeting the luggage for specific reasons. The woman’s clothing seems the most likely explanation if he was targeting the luggage.

Doesn’t prove anything but increases the probability of the woman’s clothing theory.

How did Brinton know the luggage contained women's clothing?

Many of the brand's bags look recognizably feminine and I wouldn't flinch at a bet that Brinton knows more about feminine brands than the median male.

Alternate simpler theory: Brinton thought the bags looked nice and wanted to own them. This also comports with how Brinton re-used the first bag they stole at another airport.

This is a bad theory. He's paid a decent enough salary and the bags aren't super expensive. Stealing them like this is a terrible risk reward for him. I can see someone making that mistake once, thinking they'd never get caught. But doing it again after being questioned, that feels like he's got a stronger motive. It doesn't have to sexual, he could just love the thrill of stealing

Why doesn't this also invalidate the women's clothes theory? Brinton's salary is decent enough to buy the bags... but not the random women's clothes they contained?

Because wanting something for its aesthetics is not the same as wanting something for the thrill of stealing it/knowing it belonged to someone else, where the transgression is a part of the appeal.

I could ask the same question: why would any of the men we know for sure stole underwear not just buy it? Why would any Peeping Tom not watch porn?

Because wanting something for its aesthetics is not the same as wanting something for the thrill of stealing it/knowing it belonged to someone else, where the transgression is a part of the appeal.

Why does this line of reasoning apply to the clothes in the bags but not the bags themselves?

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