Originally Posted by redietz View Post

It's cultural anthropology 101. I'm actually serious. This is something you learn in cultural anthropology 101.

In many cultures, scamming non-materially would be considered more egregious than scamming materially. In Star Trek terms, Americans are Ferengi. Many other cultures have been more Klingon. What's worth more -- your word or your bank account?

Will discuss sometime. Hopefully, by the end of 2022, this pandemic is all cleared up, and I can pack up the van and move to LV (cement ponds, movie stars).
I mean, we're a capitalistic culture, are we not? I think it's fair to suggest that monetary value is at least more directly quantifiable and, in the American culture, one would have to have an eye towards eventually monetizing something for it to constitute a scam.

Again, I can't walk into my local coffee shop and get an espresso on my word. "Hey, I'm a relatively unknown gambling writer who most consider a generally nice guy as long as we keep the subject off of religion. How about an espresso, please?"

Beyond that, maybe it just has something to do with the fact that I don't place a ton of value on these non-material things that you suggest people scam for. I don't place a lot of value on money, either, but unlike the non-material things, I do need more than zero money to buy other material things (such as food) that I do need, as well as what few things there are that I actually merely want.