the scenario with the bricks and the onions is indeed reminiscent of the tragedy of the commons, but there it's a negative consequence of a benign action. here it's a negative consequence of a criminal action. see what happened in NY when they removed consequences for misdemeanors, and all crime went up. there are indirect consequences when people become accustomed to theft, no matter how petty.
Tragedy of the commons includes doing something active. The prototypical cases are animals grazing in communal land, and farmers drawing on communal water
the scenario with the bricks and the onions is indeed reminiscent of the tragedy of the commons, but there it's a negative consequence of a benign action. here it's a negative consequence of a criminal action. see what happened in NY when they removed consequences for misdemeanors, and all crime went up. there are indirect consequences when people become accustomed to theft, no matter how petty.
Tragedy of the commons includes doing something active. The prototypical cases are animals grazing in communal land, and farmers drawing on communal water