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RF's avatar

Doesn't work with an honest man

Esther van Vlijmen's avatar

https://ia800501.us.archive.org/19/items/joost-meerloo-rape-of-the-mind/%20Joost%20Meerloo_Rape%20of%20the%20mind.pdf

Joost Meerlo was a Dutch-American psychologist who was fascinated by mental coercion and wrote around 1946 I think 'The rape of the Mind'. You can read it online. Lots of examples from reality. It is yet some time since I read it. Very insightful. Well written.To me it seems very much related to your investigations.

Francisco Gil-White's avatar

Thank you! I will check it out.

Hannah W's avatar

That was fascinating. Although the actual MO was way over my head.

I had to keep saying, "wait -- what?" going back and rereading the details.

The Sting is not accessible online unless you want to risk a Russian movie site, which I didn't trust (though I found that ironic). So I read the plot. Again, the convoluted layers of deception were overwhelming.

I suppose you are going to say that this is the point. We are powerless against grifters, who know human nature all too well.

But I did notice that the lure was based on cheating for profit. If the saying, "you can't cheat an honest man", has any reliability, the big con will only work on corrupt people trying to get rich(er).

PN Schwartz's avatar

I guess the premise is that the victim is exposed to some type of 'illegal cheat', and is then convinced that he can get in on it, so he chooses to do so. But obviously everything was orchestrated theater, and the victim is separated from his money (and maybe little legal recourse since the victim was engaging in a seemingly crooked activity from the start).

I'm wondering if this is why so many athletes lose money due to 'bad investments'. It would not suprise me if it was some variation, they think they are getting some inside information and will make a killing, but they're being conned.

RF's avatar

Exactly as i believe

Francisco Gil-White's avatar

They have it on NETFLIX.

You are right about the corruption. That saying is from Maurer's book. He made it famous. I will discuss it in the next article.