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Cultural Blindspots: 12 Scams We Refuse To Recognize as Such

Remember that, for many years, numerous buyers thought of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme the most secure funding potential. This instance completely exemplifies why, even right this moment, massive segments of the inhabitants refuse to acknowledge scams for what they’re. Scam standing lies within the eye of the beholder. Here are 12 we can not seem to shake.

1. Donating Money

Father and Son saving cash money with a Piggybank
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How do we all know the place donated cash is truly going? One individual in a web based discussion board questions, “…to preachers with private jets,” and one other says, “how much is going to pay people making ridiculous salaries.” Honestly, nice questions.

2. The 40 Hour Work Week

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Whose thought was it for everybody to work 40 hours every week and have a household plus a life? One individual on-line says, “We should be on 32 hours and 3-day weekends. No loss in productivity.”

I agree.

3. College

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Only if we collectively admit that almost all school levels are scams will we enact widespread decreases in tuition. $200,000 for a Journalism or Gender Studies diploma? What are we doing right here?

Scam me as soon as, disgrace on you. Scam a number of generations of faculty graduates, take heed to them complain incessantly concerning the albatross of debt they’ll by no means dwell down, then willingly go to graduate faculty? Shame on me.

4. Diamond Wedding Rings

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A mob of spouses who burned a number of months of earnings on their beloved’s diamond ring came to a consensus: This is an unmitigated ripoff. Diamond magnates like De Beers have arguably created essentially the most profitable, ingenious cultural advertising and marketing scheme ever. By convincing brides that the ring has to be a diamond.

5. Tipping

Woman eating italian pasta and drinking wine at restaurant on the street in Rome. Concept of Italian gastronomy and travel. Stylish woman with sunglasses and colorful hair shawl

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This one is attention-grabbing, however let’s study it from the European perspective. One non-American cannot perceive why you’d tip anyone except they went above and past their name of obligation.

Why ought to anybody be anticipated to tip if an worker does a ho-hum job or performs beneath expectations? Isn’t the enterprise proprietor paying that individual to do their job? One European calls the American tradition of anticipated tipping “utterly ridiculous.” If you have ever tipped a surly waiter or mover who broke your espresso desk, you’ll be able to’t assist however really feel scammed.

6. Charitable Donations

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How many individuals would donate to charity in the event that they knew that greater than 50% of donations went to “overhead?” In philanthropic phrases, “overhead” usually means first-class flights and rooms on the Four Seasons for CEOs and rating staffers. Audit your charity of selection, and it’s possible you’ll discover that almost all charity is not going to folks in want.

7. Insurance

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Not all insurance coverage is a rip-off. But what about that medical insurance that solely works for the real-world equal of The Simpsons’ Dr. Nick? Or the telephone guarantee with a deductible that is darn close to the worth of a brand new gadget? Outright scams, the lot of them.

8. The Lottery

Woman holding a fan of cash in front of her laptop
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Everybody is aware of the lottery is a rip-off—everybody besides for many who play it. What if I informed you the odds of winning the Powerball was one in nearly 300 million? Do you want these odds?

Of course you do not. So why would anybody place even a single hard-earned cent shopping for a lottery ticket? The lotto is as scamtastic as scams get.

9. Multi-Level Marketing

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Herbalife. Arbonne. Amway. Natura Cosmetics.

These merchandise could possibly be really life-changing. They may flip Shrek into Leonardo DiCaprio, for that matter. The indisputable fact that multi-level advertising and marketing requires one individual to recruit a number of different folks with a view to make a revenue makes MLM a pyramid scheme. Or as some would possibly name it, a pyramid rip-off.

10. Microtransactions

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As any guardian whose Minecraft-obsessed child has gotten ahold of their bank card is aware of, there’s nothing micro about microtransactions. The time period microtransaction alone reeks of scaminess. I need the entire value, and to cite Violet Beauregarde, I need it now. 

11. Property Tax

Woman sitting with dog on terrace of tiny house in the mountains enjoying beautiful sunrise landscape. Concept of small modern cabins for rest and escape to nature. Idea of traveling with dog

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So I personal this home and land? Please clarify why I’m paying an obsequious bureaucratic entity that continues to siphon cash from the property I supposedly personal.

The tax code feels lower than sincere, whether or not it is property tax or the overall method of taxing a single greenback no less than 57 instances as it adjustments arms.

12. Astrology

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You’re not incomes $11.50 an hour working at Sonic as a result of it is “written in the stars.” No quantity of moon dances can pay your lease or cease your girlfriend from dishonest on you. Astrology, manifestation, crystals—throw all of the mumbo jumbo in a sack and label it “scams.”

And if I’m fallacious, let the Geminis and tarot card readers have mercy on me. Seriously, please do not curse me. I am unable to take care of a curse proper now.

This thread impressed this publish.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.

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