The culture of “snitches get stiches” is bullshit, and was created by criminals, who didn’t want anybody calling them out or testifying against them.
If you see a misdeed,(which could be a violation of the law)than it is your duty as a citizen to report it.
For example, if you were to report someone cheating in an exam, you would be called a snitch.
A quote that reaffirms my statement is “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” It is crucial to “snitch when we see a misdeed taking place, not just be a sitting duck.
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Just don’t let Boeing find out
I knew people that would almost sprint to the bosses to snitch on coworkers.
Fuck those People.
Doesn’t mean people are gonna be ok with getting snitched on. If you can snitch on your friends you will snitch on me and people don’t look fondly on people who purposely get others in trouble.
There is a difference between being a tattletale and not reporting a serious crime. Not calling your friend out after you saw him take the last beer is not the same as not reporting a murder you witnessed.
>and was most likely created by criminals, who didn’t want anybody calling them out or testifying against them.
That’s literally where it comes from lol.
The law is not a guide on what’s moral.
If it’s not a big deal, don’t squeal. If you see a classmate chewing gum, not a big deal. If you know for a fact, someone killed somebody, drop a dime.
World isn’t about you
Unless youre a mcdonalds employee. Leave Luigi alone.
I think it’s situational like if your reporting a crime or misconduct go ahead but if your just a douche wanting to get people in trouble then nah
Reporting a dangerous crime, sure. Snitching on someone cheating on an exam, no.
Depends on why you’re snitching, if someone steals something than you absolutely have the right to snitch. But if someone is smoking weed in their home you’re just an asshole for snitching on them.
Nah, it’s only okay if you are personally being harassed or bullied, a serious crime, or the safety of an individual or the public, I’m sure there’s other exceptions.
There are unjust laws, and laws that are unjustly applied and enforced.
I would contend that it’s not necessarily one’s “duty as a citizen” to report any- and everything that’s legally proscribed.
Conversely, I would agree that everyone should be motivated to pursue action against activity that has a morally-compelling basis to be fought, in most cases regardless of the personal risk or expediency to do so.
A lot of gray room there.
“Most likely created by criminals”
I think most people know this lol.
“Your duty as a citizen to report it”
If it’s a violent crime? Sure I’ll report it.
But If it’s someone using recreational drugs at a music festival? Mildly speeding? Jay walking? Bar has 125 patrons when it should only have 120? A 20 year old sneaks a drink? A woman in Texas gets an abortion? – Fuck that.
Just to be clear “snitching” usually is when you get caught doing something and start snitching on those who didn’t get caught
There’s a difference between a snitch and a whistleblower.
A snitch gives up information for something in return. A whistleblower gives up information for a public benefit.
Don’t be a snitch.
Let’s put it this way: If I saw someone in a target sneaking food into their purse, I would be an asshole to snitch, because them taking from a multi-billion dollar corporation is not directly harming anyone. Additionally, snitching would be harmful, as I can assume they’re stealing food for survival.
If I saw someone dining an dashing at a small restaurant, I would report it, because they are directly harming that small business.
Depends on the situation completely. Someone harms another person? Yeah, snitch. Someone steals something, or cheats to get ahead of others? Yeah, snitch. Someone is smoking weed in the privacy of their backyard, not bothering anyone, don’t be a fuckin snitch. If the person is committing a victimless crime you should not snitch.
What is legal is not necessarily what is right or good. You reporting a mom stealing formula? Someone struggling with addiction but not selling? You want to see things in black and white that simply aren’t that way.
So… in a state that’s outlawed abortion – it’s your duty to report any woman you might know of who has one?
Or if you know of an immigrant family who’s been in this country for decades, established themselves and other than being undocumented, have never broken the law – is it your duty to report them to ICE?
I think this issue isn’t quite as black and white as you may imagine.
Upvoting because I disagree… your words are giving “I wish I was a cop but I got rejected from the academy”
You need to have your own moral compass outside of obeying the prevalent authority. If you see someone in the medical field getting high or drunk on the job? Of course, report it!
But when it’s just some petty rule like “don’t drink the water before you purchase it” when working at a retail store, is it really worth getting someone in trouble because they were thirsty and the line is long, and they’re not allowed to ring themselves up?
Generic sweeping statements like these never mean anything. It can be the right thing to do and take courage and fortitude to do it or it can be a pathetic act of cowardice or straight up malicious and immoral. Depends on the situation.
Context matters. If you actively participate in committing a crime then get caught, and decide to tell on everyone else who participated you are a bitch.
The discourse on “snitching” has become way too mainstream because of the internet. It wasn’t “most likely” created by criminals, it absolutely was. At one point in time, “snitching” was breaking a code you chose to live by, for one reason or another, but the key part is you CHOSE that life. For you to betray that code because you couldn’t stand under pressure when things got bad was rightfully looked at as betrayal. Civilians BY DEFINITION can’t be snitches. If an old lady sees you rob somebody and calls the police, that old lady is not a snitch. The way I look at shit, unless you willingly choose to abide by rules put in place by a criminal subculture, you are not and cannot be a snitch and the conversation around what is and isn’t considered snitching has nothing to do with you.
Laws don’t equal morality.
I don’t think the government has any Moral authority. If I think something is wrong and harming other people I will report it. I think the Justice system is often immoral and in many cases does more harm than the offenders.
It’s complicated.
Notice someone smoking a joint or having consensual gay sex in one of the countries where those things are punished with long prison sentences or the death penalty? Reporting that and being the “good citizen” makes you the evil one, IMHO. Plenty of “good citizens” got their Jewish neighbors killed in Germany back in the day.
Cheating on an exam is evil? 😆
In most cases I agree. It is my understanding though that the culture came from groups that had no choice but to resort to criminal activity due to systemic oppression. The police/authorities were literal enemy/oppressors. At this point in most places I’d say it works against them than for them.
Yesterday I saw people littering out of their car onto the highway and reported them. Sorry not sorry
Cheating on an exam is not a crime. That’s tattletale behaviour. Reporting a murder or assault is doing a public service
I think you should set the example here and self snitch on everything you have done. Lead by example if you’re so passionate about it.
This is only unpopular with people who have low or no social conscience. I’d rather be in the group that helps ensure society isn’t blighted by bad actions with no consequences.
Snitching to get YOURSELF ahead is as bad as not having a social conscience.
Grey areas exist. Snitching to get lesser consequences, but ensuring someone else gets some just consequences is acceptable. Live by the sword and all that.
There is a difference between being a snitch and being a whistleblower.
If you’re snitching to stop someone from getting hurt or stolen from, that’s one thing. If you’re just tattling to get someone else in trouble then you are a little weasel.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both.
The problem with snitching, even if you believe it is a good thing, is when it involves the police. I don’t want to interact with or have anything to do with the police. They have a tendency to at best do nothing about the problem and at worst go after the wrong person.
Snitches get stitches is not bullshit. People have got killed over snitching. The example you used is minor and isn’t even snitching. That’s being a tattletell. But be a witness to a murder, you don’t even have to snitch, they might just think you will and off you just to be sure that you won’t. Why do you think actual snitches who do crimes and tell on the people they did crimes with go into witness protection? If snitches getting stitches was bullshit at all, more people would do it
Civilians aren’t snitches for the most part.
The law doesn’t equal morality
Snitching doesn’t count if you’re a civilian.
“Snitches get stitches” is an acknowledgment that although we are governed by well-intentioned—and even objectively correct—public laws, rules, etc., violating the trust of your fellow man or woman may result punitive retribution anyway. It’s not a call to arms it’s a description of how the world works.
It’s more about sorting things out between yourselves rather than involving authorities/other people
If you got a disagreement with someone, you oughta talk to them. If y’all can’t sort it out/you can’t deal with it/it is actually a very serious crime, that’s a different story (except for like, the literal fuckin mob ig)
>If you see a misdeed,(which could be a violation of the law)than it is your duty as a citizen to report it.
no it’s not. I don’t work for free. unless I’m getting a reward, that shit got nothing to do with me
OP is def either a cop, school teacher, or boomer.
There’s a difference between reporting a crime as a witness, and being a criminal and telling on other people to get yourself out of trouble.
Obviously there are a few exceptions. But snitching on people to keep yourself out of prison is kind of bullshit.
Snitches always say that lol 😂
Anne Frank would like a word
There’s an entire American philosophy of not snitching born out of minority folks being subject to injustice at the hands of the police and the state. It’s hard to unlearn centuries of slavery followed by decades of Jim Crow, followed by being over-surveilled and policed
Context is very very important to this question.
It depends upon what or who the rule being violated protects.
I’m not turning in any shoplifters stealing hot dogs or baby formula. But I would definitely turn in someone I saw kicking a homeless person. There is plenty of nuance to be had.
It’s especially rich when the target of the misdeed is called a snitch for seeking help. Like if you’re getting bullied and beaten up in school, you’re a snitch if you try to get help from a teacher or principal.
More propaganda from Big Stitches
As with everything, context maters. It depends on the situation.
I refuse to turn someone in, for example, if they’re having an illegal gathering during an illegal pandemic crackdown.
I will absolutely turn someone in if they hit a car and then run away after.
Situation matters.
There are “victimless” crimes that don’t require people to tattle. The cheating example you gave is one of them. Unless the test is graded on a curve, the only person the cheater is hurting is themself…
True but no throwing other people under the buss cuz u got caught
“Snitching is always good” and “snitching is always bad” are both ridiculous statements. It is highly dependent not only on what the person did, but also who you are telling and what they will do to them and a huge amount of additional surrounding context.
Snitching is obviously bad in a situation where someone will face an exceptionally harsh a disproportionate punishment (for example if a place has very harsh laws where someone would be executed for minor theft).
On the other extreme being a whistleblower when a company is poisoning a local community is technically snitching. We would probably all agree that it is the right thing to do.
There will be a load of situations which are more of a grey area than these extremes of course.
>If you see a misdeed,(which could be a violation of the law)than it is your duty as a citizen to report it.
Im not saying shit unless its a serious crime.
All ”misdeeds” are not equal. If i see some dude smoking weed on a bench, what do i have to gain from reporting that? He’s not hurting anyone.
It ain’t my duty to do shit
Listen bud. I work in a particular sector. We spend 90% of our time at work Jerkin around on the internet and watching memes. The boss only cares if the work gets done. So they don’t say anything. But officially, we are not to be using any form of entertainment at work, and if you snitched, people would be reprimanded. You gonna snitch?
Obviously, if you see someone being robbed, assaulted, murdered, kidnapped, etc., then that might be something you report to police. However, if you saw someone, say, smoking weed, shoplifting (from major chains, not small businesses), sleeping on park benches, pirating a movie, etc., no the fuck you didn’t. Not all laws are created equal, and not all laws are made for the protection of the people. In fact, most of our laws were created to protect property and corporate interests. If a law isn’t there to protect me or others, then it doesn’t apply to me. If you decide to snitch on someone for something as trivial and harmless as a non-violent drug crime, for example, then you’re just a puritanical loser and a narc.
Edit: AND ANOTHER THING. If you really care about justice, then you would understand that snitching is punitive, and punitive measures are not conducive to personal growth. If you see a student cheating on an exam, snitching on them about it will only humiliate them and further sour their relationship with their own education. Why not instead offer to tutor them or accompany them in study hall/tutorials? Restorative justice is how you bring about positive change in the world. Crime and punishment only encourage recidivism.
Narc
I think this is disregarding the nuance. Like obviously if someone killed someone you should tell the authorities. But cheating on a test? Really not my business. Why should I care
Snitches is bitches
Depends
If you think that snitching to the uber violent police is the thing that “good men” need to do to stop evil, then you’re not the good guy. You’re the bad guy.
It depends on the severity of the crime, I’m not gonna call 911 on some guy smoking a joint.
There’s also levels of crime. Is it ok to report someone stealing baby formula for their baby when companies are continuously stealing wages and making record profits?
Stop snitching
“Snitches get stitches” is less an opinion expressed about snitching and more a factual description. You can argue it’s good or bad, but the statement itself simply acts as a warning that, appropriate or not, someone is going to feel you’re indebted to them for having a hand in their downfall.
Outside of that exact expression, snitching itself doesn’t seem to be good or bad. It’s dependent on the variables and completely unique to the situation taking place. If you snitch on someone for smoking a joint and they’re not bothering anyone else or smoking in an inappropriate place, i feel like you’re kind of a sheltered dweeb who wants to infringe on personal freedoms just so you maybe get a pat on the back or something. If you snitch on someone who you’ve discovered is hiding bodies in their crawlspace, nobody is going to give you shit for it and it’s probably even a moral obligation.
There is a big difference between snitching on someone for smoking pot and calling the cops because you just witnessed a murder
its not my duty to do shit tf
A random person reporting a crime isnt snitching. If I affiliate myself with criminals and then report crimes to save my own ass, thats snitching.
There’s a world of difference between telling the cops about a murder you witnessed and seeing it as your moral duty as a citizen to report any misdeed you see. I’d tell you to chill out and smoke some weed, but you’d probably report me for violating federal laws around marijuana 🙄
Definitely unpopular. I don’t hold truck with institutional authorities, in most situations, and I’d never rat on anyone, not even an enemy, unless it’s in relation to someone else being hurt.
Snitching is extremely situational whether its good or bad.
Snitching on people who are causing no harm or for pointless shit is just being an asshole
Snitching is only a good thing when its something serious, like if you watched someone get robbed or killed or something along those lines. Not catching someone cheating on a math test, stealing from walmart, filling their water cup with sprite, ect.
Buddy we live in a society thats so dense they dont even care ever single politician is corrupt and taking bribes and payouts. That doesnt even include all the profiteering they do inside trading off policy and info only they are privilage to.
This whole place is ran by thieves, child molestors, and murders.
If it isnt causing anyone harm keep your mouth shut and mind your own business.
I have a friend who has a side group of friends that are cops and we played gold one time. The whole group bragged how often they offer women have sex with them to get out of tickets and how well it works.
Ignorance is bliss I guess.
It’s about levels
Did you see somebody shoplifting at Walmart? No you didn’t.
Did your boy hit you up for an alibi for a shooting? Fuck that guy.
That’s not snitching, that’s reporting. Snitching is getting caught and telling on who you did it with
Snitches get stitches was definitely created by criminals. They’re saying it to civilians. It may be the right thing to do, but law enforcement does little to protect people in neighborhoods where everyone talks and knows the inner workings of the neighborhood. Plus police just suck in general and people don’t want to talk to them unless 105% necessary, and even then
Not unpopular, if you saw someone get shot what do you do?
If you answered call 911, my point exactly.
Now if you tell your boss your coworker left early last week, now that’s just downright not cool.
The problem here is that your morality is not everyone else’s morality. Even the laws (some of which are OBJECTIVELY deeply immoral) are not in line with everyone’s idea of morality. If you get to snitch on everyone you think is in the wrong, then so does everyone else. So the safest bet is everyone minding their own fucking business unless you see something that obviously every reasonable person would deem unacceptable, such as someone harming a child.
Snitches, get stitches is in reference to a hardened criminal, talking to the police. In regards to people, he worked with or other criminals in an attempt to gain an upper hand while they’re under investigation. Or in order to achieve a specific goal.
Imagine if a gangster just ran to the police to inform on somebody and then moved into their territory. How would other gangsters operate without murdering, said snitch.
The saying is hijacked.
By others, but in general its reference between criminals, not between tattletails
In my mind, there is a major difference between a snitch and a witness. A snitch was a participant. A witness is just an innocent bystander who never wanted to be a part of your misdeeds.
But, yeah, I agree. Snitching is just whistleblowing, and uncovering corruption (whether that be in a local government, a large corporation, a gang, or otherwise) should be viewed favorably. The bullies committing the crimes are the ones saying snitches get stitches
Child abusers love when people “mind their own business”
It depends, IMHO. If you’re a citizen who witnesses a crime and reports it, no problem! That’s what you’re supposed to do!
But if you are a participant or confederate in a criminal enterprise and you inform on your comrades to receive a lighter penalty, you deserve more than stitches. You deserve a good suit!
This really depends on what you’re snitching on.
“and was most likely created by criminals, who didn’t want anybody calling them out or testifying against them.”
Most likely created? The hell are you smoking. Its literally the entire meaning of this sentence.
It is not “your duty as a citizen”, it’s entirely optional not obligatory. I would not report a crime if it’s based on a law I disagree with, and it’s totally my right not to. For example, I think that drugs should be legal. If I saw someone selling heroin, I would not report it because in my opinion we should be allowed to buy and sell heroin. Now, if I were subpoenaed and called to testify under oath I may not realistically have the option to get away with perjury; and would be legally compelled under threat of punishment to report what I witnessed- but aside from that, I’m not going out of my way to uphold unjust laws on the flimsy notion of “civic duty”.
Can you not think of any circumstance where someone is doing something that’s against the rules/law, but telling on them is a morally worse thing to do?
Should I call the police every time I see someone jaywalking?
Should I call the police if I see a starving child stealing food at the grocery store?
Do you call the police everytime you see someone driving over the speed limit? Hey, it’s called the speed limit just for the record. Implying it’s the maximum speed one should ever reach on any given road. Do you call the police every time you see someone going 5 over? Sounds exhausting.
Homeless people are legally not allowed to camp out in certain places. Are you willing to make some disparate and miserable persons life worse because you hold the rules at a higher priority than human decency?
It is perfectly fine to report any crime of physical violence or serious crime. If you are narcing out your neighbor’s kid who isn’t paying taxes on her babysitting money, fu.
See, the problem is you’re conflating legality with morality.
There’s been a boat load of horrendous shit done that was entirely legal, and anyone who opposed it was a criminal. Legality has never been a good reflection of morality, but rather, the political whim of those in power.
Everybody likes to think they’d be the one to shelter Anne Frank in their attic, but covid showed us that the majority of folks wouldn’t hesitate to rat out their neighbors for a fleeting sense of power and superiority.
Don’t equate the law and ethics. “Yes officer, the Jews are right here” is also snitching.
You obviously have never been around a situation where telling can ruin your entire life, your kids life, your spouse life, your grandma life etc.
This is an unpopular opinion for sure due to your societal advantage.
Sounds like something a snitch would say.
I worked in LE for a decade. I once discovered my partner was trading confidential information to a local warehouse security guard in exchange for pallets of chocolate bars (I shit you not). In the state where I worked, the penalty for that crime would have been a year in prison. Our department would have been fined $10,000 per occurrence and lost access to all statewide databases, including DMV and criminal records, for a year. If it were discovered, I would have lost my job and maybe also faced criminal charges since I was aware of it and didn’t do anything.
So, I “ratted.” I went to the shift supervisor and said, “Hey, do what you want with this, but you need to know this happens on your shifts.” The supervisor also “ratted.” My partner was written-up and given an unpaid suspension, which was pretty light for the nature of his offense. Two weeks after he got back to work, one of the old-school hard-ass cops sat me down and said, “Fred is calling you a rat bastard to anyone who will listen. I think that’s bullshit. You did the right thing and any half-decent cop knows it.”
As the OP said “snitches get stitches” was invented by criminals so they could keep getting away with their crimes.
We have a tattletale at work. He has made it his mission to throw anyone and everyone under the bus as he sees fit with only himself in mind.
He doesnt have enough to do, so he spends a lot time worrying about what everyone is doing then he gets to be critical and reports what he sees to the Boss.
If you’re in favor of snitching on fellow coworkers just to advance yourself and be petty, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM
Reporting someone that cheated on an exam? Here I’m thinking OP trying to weigh their conscience because they saw a murder, and they just worried about their AP Chem Exam.
in the loosest sense, I might agree with you. I think a culture where people hold others accountable and don’t let friends get away with bad behavior is good.
But it requires some nuance into what constitutes bad behavior. Legality doesn’t always line up with morality. This goes both ways. Some legal acts should be called out and frowned upon, and some illegal acts are perfectly moral and harm nobody.
The whole “snitches get stitches” thing is for criminals. If you aren’t involved in the activities, you can’t snitch. Calling the cops on someone who is committing a crime may you weren’t involved in is not snitching. White teenagers on the internet who think they’re edgy twisted what actual snitching is.
Now, if you’re arguing that snitching is a good thing for criminals to do as well, I don’t know that I can agree with that either as a blanket statement. Your argument hinges on the idea that the law is always just and the final say on all things moral which is easily disproven. You’d be hard pressed to make a moral argument for calling the cops on a starving homeless man who stole a protein bar from a chain grocery store.
Snitches are involved with the crimes. If you’re walking down the street and see someone get shot, you’re not a snitch. If you’re a drug dealer reporting another dealer on your turf, you’re a snitch. If you’re in the mob and testify against another member, you’re a snitch. You have to be associated to be a snitch
Even the police will ignore you if you get that reputation
Snitching is not just witnessing and reporting a.crime. it’s participating in a crime to.some degree and then ratting on everyone else either to save your own ass or to get some sort of payoff.
For example, if you and 2 other guys robbed a store and you got arrested but took a deal where you got a light sentence in exchange for giving up your accomplices you are a snitch
If you just happened to be on the street that day and saw what happened and reported it you’re not Snitching
Adding to this if something isn’t actively harmful to you or someone else and you still tell you still aren’t a snitch, you are a tattle tale.
no. you’ve got it backwards. you never report anything to govt. govt is all of our enemy. and we see many example when people do as you say and innocent people end up dying because the cops show up and cops are ridiculous. so no. you’re way off