Now being since Sarah's not going to help us out on this one, I am. First what is a grift? well the dictionary describes it as such (damn I miss the old paper dictionary) Money made dishonestly, as in a swindle. A swindle or confidence game. Ole Louie is a huge fan of the confidence game, or at least in the movies. The Sting, Confidence, Ocean's Eleven, and Grifter's. The first thing in grifting is ya need to be an underdog, or outsider, looks definitely need to be on the resume. Second must have is building confidence in your mark or trick as some say. Not only are they just like you but a pinch better, this gets them in the game. You can win and you'll win with me. Hand me a buck and I'll hand you back a fiver. Next is support, you need to be supported, because you have to lose and a lot to win, this gives your marks confidence in what you are doing. Any publicity is good, we used to call it stirring the pot. Pot stirring is huge because that's some money (tee shirts, coffee mugs and various bullshit). Play the victim, this is a must too, poor me and it just didn't work out this time, but it will get better if you just give me one more chance, grabbing the heart is big in a grift. "To know me is to Love Me" followed by can I have your wallet.
Part duex tomorrow... oh and this backin it up
Love ya
--Louie
Louie,
ReplyDeleteI have pointed this out numerous times in the past, but Sarah's grifting ways are part of the Americon lexicon. See Huck Finn, especially the chapters on the duke and the dauphin. How prescient was Mark Twain?
Further, there is something in the human genome, 23%, that allows either celebrity/royalty/monarchy worship. And Americons are no different: see Anna Nicole Smith, or the Kardashians, or Princess Di. And grifting and blind adoration go hand-in-hand.
Great point Doc, and a real eye opener, never looked at it through that angle before!!
ReplyDeleteYou love no one...
ReplyDelete