Cons & Confidence Men: How Not to Get Taken, Class 1
The Danger Shop had been turned into small bar, with couches and chairs around a few small coffee tables. Handouts with biographies of the confidence people mentioned during the class were there to be taken. Drinks were at the bar, and bowls of chips and plates of appetizers laid out for the students. Sophie might have been taking her cue from play practices, and the feeding of actors.
"Good afternoon, and welcome to Cons & Confidence, or How Not to Get Taken. For those of you who haven't met me before, I'm Sophie Devereaux. Feel free to call me Sophie or Ms. Devereaux. This class is directed at exploring the most common confidence games in this world, and how to avoid becoming a victim of a confidence game. Some games are so common that they’re legend-- selling the Brooklyn Bridge, for instance." Sophie smiled in amusement. "George Parker sold the Brooklyn Bridge multiple times over 90 years ago-- a game that would be impossible these days, because it is so well-known. Yet variations on con games all follow certain themes. There’s axioms on caveat emptor that go back as far as writing."
Sophie paused. "However, it’s not true you can’t cheat an honest man. Confidence games don’t depend on the victim’s greed, as you might have heard. They depend on people’s wish to believe. Believe in what, precisely? Well, Princess Caraboo, aka Mary Ann Baker, perpetrated a hoax whereby she was mistaken for royalty for several months-- even though she was not speaking any ‘known’ language to make that kind of claim-- based on a bored populace’s wish to believe that someone exotic and interesting was visiting their rather boring community. P.T. Barnum skillfully entertained and 'humbugged' audiences who were looking for new experiences, even as he debunked spiritualist frauds himself. And forensic scientist Arthur Conan Doyle wanted to believe in fairies-- enough to give his official support to some trick photography perpetrated by a 16-year-old and 10-year-old. The people involved gave their money, their time, and their trust to the endeavours of liars and thieves."
"We’ll also explore why people become con artists. Is it actually greed? There’s easier ways to get money. Why do you think? Is it laziness? Some cons are so elaborate that they require years of research to pull off. What’s the appeal?" She smiled. "Why would you perpetrate a con?"
"Now. Please introduce yourselves-- giving us a name we can call you, even if it’s not your own-- and explain who you would choose to con in this classroom, and why?"
"And last... what is it you want to believe? What would you be willing to spend money, time, and confidence on, to achieve? What dream could someone subvert? Think about it, even if you don’t feel comfortable sharing it with the class."
Class Roster & Syllabus [OCD up, and have at it.]
"Good afternoon, and welcome to Cons & Confidence, or How Not to Get Taken. For those of you who haven't met me before, I'm Sophie Devereaux. Feel free to call me Sophie or Ms. Devereaux. This class is directed at exploring the most common confidence games in this world, and how to avoid becoming a victim of a confidence game. Some games are so common that they’re legend-- selling the Brooklyn Bridge, for instance." Sophie smiled in amusement. "George Parker sold the Brooklyn Bridge multiple times over 90 years ago-- a game that would be impossible these days, because it is so well-known. Yet variations on con games all follow certain themes. There’s axioms on caveat emptor that go back as far as writing."
Sophie paused. "However, it’s not true you can’t cheat an honest man. Confidence games don’t depend on the victim’s greed, as you might have heard. They depend on people’s wish to believe. Believe in what, precisely? Well, Princess Caraboo, aka Mary Ann Baker, perpetrated a hoax whereby she was mistaken for royalty for several months-- even though she was not speaking any ‘known’ language to make that kind of claim-- based on a bored populace’s wish to believe that someone exotic and interesting was visiting their rather boring community. P.T. Barnum skillfully entertained and 'humbugged' audiences who were looking for new experiences, even as he debunked spiritualist frauds himself. And forensic scientist Arthur Conan Doyle wanted to believe in fairies-- enough to give his official support to some trick photography perpetrated by a 16-year-old and 10-year-old. The people involved gave their money, their time, and their trust to the endeavours of liars and thieves."
"We’ll also explore why people become con artists. Is it actually greed? There’s easier ways to get money. Why do you think? Is it laziness? Some cons are so elaborate that they require years of research to pull off. What’s the appeal?" She smiled. "Why would you perpetrate a con?"
"Now. Please introduce yourselves-- giving us a name we can call you, even if it’s not your own-- and explain who you would choose to con in this classroom, and why?"
"And last... what is it you want to believe? What would you be willing to spend money, time, and confidence on, to achieve? What dream could someone subvert? Think about it, even if you don’t feel comfortable sharing it with the class."
Class Roster & Syllabus [OCD up, and have at it.]