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AdHocRationalizing (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
This isn't research and it never pretended to be. This is more like "candid camera" or "punked", although a little more informative as it shows how a particular con works.
CaptainFeigh (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
I love how he's not a person, he's a pigeon.
phdecora (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
good point
Lykil (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
That would have been unbelievably great
Phenobarbitol (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
Oldest con: Ooo! Ug! Look, poonanny! *steals rock*
ZacharySarver (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
I think you're overthinking this a little. This wasn't "research." This was a teevee show, for entertainment. And people get caught doing stupid things on teevee all the time. His friends will have a little laugh, his kids will see their dad on teevee. Big deal.
m0nk3ym1nd (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
This takes my respect for Michael Shermer down a notch. The pigeon "got took", not for money, but for his esteeem. How many of his friends will see this? What will his kids think of him? University psychology research departments have pretty strict rules about the use of deception in research. This doesn't even have the rubric of research to cloak itself in.
PMX (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
"Oh there's no money!"
NoobixCube (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
It's probably not THE oldest con. Television and the internet can be pretty misleading for the sake of a good story. There were probably a lot of simpler cons around before the pigeon drop was devised. In the stone age, cons probably ended with a rock to the back of the head. "You go tell the others, I'll guard the mammoth carcass!" *thunk* "Grognar died tragically fighting the mammoth. All the more for the rest of us."
perfectionbox (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
In the next demonstration, the mark gets wise, pulls out a gun and in a fit of rage shoots the others. Then they stand up laughing, explaining to the camera crew that they had squibs planted on them and the mark is part of the act. But it's too late; one of the camera people bought it and died of a heart attack. |
