Sep 29 2008
A Word or Two About Skepticism
I wanted to talk for a bit about skepticism. I’ve pointed out the great potential that some work from home scams have to rope you into their web and essentially take your money for free. The same sort of thing can apply to many different aspects of our lives.
Although I disagree with some things about professional skeptics, I did want to point them out as a possible reference when considering how to approach the wildly unfamiliar.
Often when dealing with possibilities, we allow our minds to wander into fantastic realms that truly are impossible. Advertisers use this tendancy, and carefully take us from impossible to improbable to possible to theoretical to probable to certainty. The next thing you know you are giving your hard earned money to a person who is selling you nothing more than a dream.
Think of the Rainmaker (1956). There is no question that Burt Lancaster is playing a con man, but the deep need of the people he preys upon drives them to believe the impossible, even to the point of giving up the few resources they have. Though as an audience it is easy to sit back and scoff at the people being conned, many of us tend fall for the same tricks.
Skeptics spend their lives disbelieving. Though I personally like to believe many things, and in fact to hope for many unproven ideas, I think it is healthy to approach financial matters with a strong dose of skepticism. The fact of the matter is that you only ever get to spend any given dollar one time. If you spend it fruitlessly on some endeavor that will ultimately gain you nothing you won’t get another chance at it. You will have to go back and earn another dollar before you get to spend it.
If anyone asks you for your money, take a moment to understand what you are getting for it. Are they really giving you what they say they are going to give? Can they really give you what they say? Can they prove it? If you are at all uncertain, give it 24 hours. If you’re still uncertain, walk away. You can always go back and spend your money later, but once you’ve spent it you won’t get it back (I don’t care what money-back-guarantee they offer).
