America Has Become a "Cheater-Take-All" Nation

Great article with history and sources - oh boy.

www.www.alternet.org...

A couple of quotes to wet the appetite...

Worse, when cheaters prosper, market forces become perverse because of the “Gresham’s dynamic" in which bad ethics drives good ethics out of the markets and professions. George Akerlof explained this in his most famous article on “Lemons” in 1970.

“[D]ishonest dealings tend to drive honest dealings out of the market. The cost of dishonesty, therefore, lies not only in the amount by which the purchaser is cheated; the cost also must include the loss incurred from driving legitimate business out of existence.”

Akerlof was not the first expert to understand the dynamic.

“The Lilliputians look upon fraud as a greater crime than theft. For, they allege, care and vigilance, with a very common understanding, can protect a man’s goods from thieves, but honesty hath no fence against superior cunning. . . where fraud is permitted or connived at, or hath no law to punish it, the honest dealer is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage” (Swift, J. Gulliver’s Travels: 1726).

The article is a sort of anti-review for the New Book by Tyler Cowen. It's, by all appearances, a real gut turner but I am sure will be popular with the "Masters of Universe" finance types.

Just wanted to share.

reply to post by FyreByrd


America was always this way. The Capitalistic system always rewards cheaters who don't get caught or can afford the benefits of "who you know" or "the golden rule take 2 (whoever has the gold makes the rules)" So, inherently, as well placed individual who can avoid getting caught will always be accelerated to their rightful place in front of the pack. That's how the system works.

Get with it or change it. That's all there is to it.

reply to post by TheOneElectric


Look at insider trading among the congresspeople - those that make the laws and regulations which make winners and losers in the business fields - especially big pharma and oil companies.

Cheaters, liars, and thieves.

Listen to any advertising on tv, radio or print. It has become the norm to have hidden clauses or "conditions apply" added as small print or rushed through at the end of an ad.
That just makes that product they are selling bogus, it is now considered normal to deceive the public.
The words "terms and conditions apply" straight off is not telling the consumer the real truth, most people ignore it at their own peril. The devil is truly in the detail.
So yes it is normal for people to cheat, a fish rots from the head down has never been more true.
People see their politicians, big business, religious leaders lying and cheating in order to accrue wealth and they follow suit. Yes cheaters prosper, which is very sad indeed.

reply to post by FyreByrd


Being a cheater, liar and a thief today is what they call being DRIVEN! And SUCCESSFUL! Who wants to play that game?
It's a wonder people aren't self immolating everywhere because of the corruption rampant through all levels of society these days.

reply to post by FyreByrd


The post by TheOneElectric is spot on, it has always been so, we can even trace it in part to the independence movement (and even before that). Dig a bit on how and why the term Banana republic came about to see how American "opportunism" has always lead to problem to the normal citizen that has no access to the immoral benefits it generates and is often the one that is liable for the blowouts...

There is also a distinct difference about the concerning the concept of patriotism and nationalism that is in great part a delusion (this is mostly unique to the US) especially when concerning the Federal government. Those concepts are in the case of the US mostly based in continual state propaganda (even as an attempt to preserve the union by sublimating the individual states uniqueness by reducing their independence from the Federal system). The common citizen also has very bad (or no real) information, even interest in external policies and blindly trusts the politicians in those areas...

There is a deficiency amongst citizen in the preservation of the historic legacy, national reputation and self pride and very few historic understanding beyond their borders. Some is normal in a large nation, but most is by institutional design this specificity is obvious when we compare the same notion in other large nations, even those that have a harder history in regard to nationalistic propaganda like Russia or China, they exert a great level of decorum and responsibility when acting in the global sandbox, even when under objectionable governments...

So to mis-quote Superman
Truth and Justice are not The American Way huh!

Well I guess if you spend trillions of dollars developing ways to spy on your enemies and closest allies, sometimes you gotta use those dirty secrets against them just to make a buck, manipulate markets, gain better trade agreements through extortion and take out early PATENTS on new designs you steal from hard working folk.

When you've got friends like that.......

TheOneElectric
reply to post by FyreByrd

 

..."the golden rule take 2 (whoever has the gold makes the rules)"... "

Like how the US is supplying weapons to Al Nusra Front, I mean the FSA, skirting their own laws about supplying weapons to terrorist organizations.

reply to post by TheOneElectric


Yea and don't forget a battery of lawyers, blackmail, intimidation ect.

I can remember in school the great lengths people would go to in order to "cheat". Sometimes it seemed these people spent more time/energy figuring out NSA/CIA-style techniques. Some of my favorites:

- writing answers on the inside of gum wrappers
- writing answers on the inside label of a soda bottle
-creating a program on a graphing calculator
-using an earbud with the cord ran up a long sleeve to listen to "notes"
-writing answers on the desk with the eraser

Americans are some of the best cheaters in the world. In fact, I would venture to say that people that are really, really good at cheating are almost looked upon favorably. We Americans seem to glorify people that can figure out ways to exploit any system put into place.

It's virtually impossible to raise children with an honest, hard working, always do the right thing attitude these days as well. My husband and I both work hard, both get "screwed" over on the regular and still do our best to keep keeping on in these greedy, seedy, me, me, me times we live in. We are fair and honest, giving to those in need when we can and humbly accepting from those who give to us when they can. We do not collect welfare (although our children have medical assistance) and we don't steal, manipulate or con anyone consciously ever.

So why do my children believe, and I mean they truly believe, that my husband and I are weak? I'll tell you why, because this society we live in tells them on a daily basis that all they have to do is lie, cheat, steal, con and swindle their way into a comfy place in life. Here's a perfect example (and do not for 1 minute think this isn't happening everywhere, from sea to shining sea). Last Christmas my husband and I bought our two oldest (15 and 17 at the time) very nice Android smartphones with gingerbread whatever and front facing cameras and unlimited talk/text/web. We thought we were the greatest parents that Christmas morning let me tell ya, but within ONE week of going back to school after break, my 15 yr old came home with an ipod! It was an awesome ipod, but it was "last year's" model. When I questioned my son he said, "Oh, I traded my phone for it. Look at what it can do..." and he showed me the app store and the media and the pics etc. I felt completely deflated!! And it's not the first time he did that, these kids are bartering, trading and conning other kids in order to "upgrade" their belongings.

It took DH and I months to save up for those phones, it took my son one day and a sly conversation to get himself what he really wanted. The upcoming generation have no idea what it means to work hard to get the things you want in life, it's disgraceful if you ask me! He cheated, bottom line, he cheated and he got all! There have been new (different) bikes, skateboards and electronics coming and going from my house and he has even made money selling the things he's traded! What has happened to an honest day's work for a living?!

reply to post by IrishCream

I don't see why you think he cheated. Depending on what he traded off he may have been the one that ended up with less. Either way, if both parties agreed then how is that cheating?

Our system is only as good as it people. America idolizes cheats and thieves. Here's an old video talking about it.

IrishCream
within ONE week of going back to school after break, my 15 yr old came home with an ipod! It was an awesome ipod, but it was "last year's" model. When I questioned my son he said, "Oh, I traded my phone for it. Look at what it can do..." and he showed me the app store and the media and the pics etc. I felt completely deflated!! And it's not the first time he did that, these kids are bartering, trading and conning other kids in order to "upgrade" their belongings.

I'm 30 and we used to do that all the time when I was a kid. Water guns, radios, Nerf guns...we bartered and traded them all the time. Then there were POGS, Marvel superhero trading cards and comics.

Ever since the first cave man amassed a surplus, the greed began. When a species survival is dependent on the strong surviving, everyone wants to mate and associate with the guy who's wealthy. Those with nothing get the worst mates, and don't spread their genetic material.

So, we really have been fine-tuning greed over the past hundreds of thousands of years.

MystikMushroom
I can remember in school the great lengths people would go to in order to "cheat". Sometimes it seemed these people spent more time/energy figuring out NSA/CIA-style techniques. Some of my favorites:

- writing answers on the inside of gum wrappers
- writing answers on the inside label of a soda bottle
-creating a program on a graphing calculator
-using an earbud with the cord ran up a long sleeve to listen to "notes"
-writing answers on the desk with the eraser

Americans are some of the best cheaters in the world. In fact, I would venture to say that people that are really, really good at cheating are almost looked upon favorably. We Americans seem to glorify people that can figure out ways to exploit any system put into place.

I remember those days too. I always, was taught and learned, that cheated really only cheated myself in school at the very least. That if I cheated on a test - I might pass the test - but I would not have the information and skills going forward in life that the test was - well testing on. That I would be further behind and would have robbed myself of the insight into what I hadn't learned.

I guess it's a matter of priorities. And if dollars are the only measure of success - then, as a people, we are doomed. I have different measures of success - ones that suit me and garner respect from some - but they cannot be measured in dollar and cents so aren't real to The Masters of the Universe.

There is another good article, one by Daniel Goleman of "Emotional Intelligence" fame about Power and Compassion and the lack thereof that puts another nail into the coffin of humanity:

Rich People Just Care Less
byDaniel Goleman
www.commondreams.org...

A prerequisite to empathy is simply paying attention to the person in pain. In 2008, social psychologists from the University of Amsterdam and the University of California, Berkeley, studied pairs of strangers telling one another about difficulties they had been through, like a divorce or death of a loved one. The researchers found that the differential expressed itself in the playing down of suffering. The more powerful were less compassionate toward the hardships described by the less powerful.

buster2010
Our system is only as good as it people. America idolizes cheats and thieves. Here's an old video talking about it.

Great clip - Thank you

reply to post by FyreByrd


Oh god ... emotional intelligence....

Ok, so one day I come to work and 10 minutes after my start time I get a call from my boss. I hadn't checked in with her that day so I wasn't aware she wasn't coming in that day.

"MM, hey it's boss-lady. Yeah, I'm not going to be in today ... but I have a class that I was supposed to go to today."

So I frantically get in my car, drive across town to find out the class is titled, "Emotional Intelligence".

I spent 7-8 hours listening to a woman that reminded me Barney the dinosaur (appearance and personality), who also performed magic tricks. This wasn't one of those "just sit and listen/take note" kinds of classes either ... oh no, it was a "get into groups with strangers and work on little exercises".

I hate those classes.

The next time I saw my boss I shot her a glare and she laughed.

2/10 would not attend that class again.

reply to post by FyreByrd


Everyone jump on the bash america bandwagon.....enjoy the ride. As an American citizen, I am sick of the runaway greed and manipulation from our "leaders", once the greatest has now become the joke of the planet, but this will not last forever, and I hope to see this country return to the one of old. Even with our faults, and every other country on earth has no faults as many posters would love you to believe, we still are a nation that millions are trying to enter ilegally each year. If we are such a S***hole why do we still have a major border issue? We in this country must clean our house and hope to make it as perfect as firebyrd's country as the nonstop USA bashing is really increasing daily from the perfects.

Lance Armstrong for President.

I wonder if any Nation has ever been BOO'd during the opening of an Olympic Games.

It will be interesting to see the crowd reaction next time.