UtsanomikoBros before DoesRollin' in the thlayRegistered Userregular
edited July 2008
Taking the game back isn't stealing any more than the sob story was fraud. Neither course of action is right, and I'm normally really loathe to take the opinion of 'an eye for an eye' or teaching people a lesson, but when a young teen treats you like shit I'm not exactly against letting him know it's going to earn him shit right back. And then demonstrate it by doing a shitty thing like taking back the handout whose conditions you defined.
Confidence tricks exploit human weaknesses like greed, dishonesty, vanity, but also virtues like honesty, compassion, or a naïve expectation of good faith on the part of the con artist.
I once told my family I wanted the original Ghost Recon on PC for Christmas. Sometime in early December my friend bought it and I installed it and played the hell out of it on my computer. My brother was visiting one time and I had to show him how awesome it was, so he was watching me play it for a bit.
Come Christmas time, I open up a gift and see Ghost Recon in there. My brother got it for me, and the worst part was it was through Amazon and he couldn't return it. Man I felt like such a dick.
The story ends on a happy note though, as I needed it for the numerous patches and expansion packs that I got for it over the course of a year. I made sure to let my brother know that his copy did not go unused
What OP should have done is taken the game back and offered to payout more than a trade-in place would, and follow up the deal with a good: "I now think very little of you." When you're 12, you pretend that you're happy because you got what you wanted, but deep down, you know you've just fucked up something worth way more than $10.
I once told my family I wanted the original Ghost Recon on PC for Christmas. Sometime in early December my friend bought it and I installed it and played the hell out of it on my computer. My brother was visiting one time and I had to show him how awesome it was, so he was watching me play it for a bit.
Come Christmas time, I open up a gift and see Ghost Recon in there. My brother got it for me, and the worst part was it was through Amazon and he couldn't return it. Man I felt like such a dick.
The story ends on a happy note though, as I needed it for the numerous patches and expansion packs that I got for it over the course of a year. I made sure to let my brother know that his copy did not go unused
This is why my parents usually give me cash or gift certificates for Christmas. They don't like that it doesn't feel like a real present, but they don't know about games and technology, and I do, so they feel that I'll appreciate the gift more by choosing it. I usually make sure to let them know what I use it for, so that they feel like they gave me that item.
Confidence tricks exploit human weaknesses like greed, dishonesty, vanity, but also virtues like honesty, compassion, or a naïve expectation of good faith on the part of the con artist.
I went ahead and bolded the relevant part for you
So what was the trick? You think he fabricated the story, using his brilliant con artist 12 year old mind to manipulate Beck into giving him the game? Really?
Confidence tricks exploit human weaknesses like greed, dishonesty, vanity, but also virtues like honesty, compassion, or a naïve expectation of good faith on the part of the con artist.
I went ahead and bolded the relevant part for you
So what was the trick? You think he fabricated the story, using his brilliant con artist 12 year old mind to manipulate Beck into giving him the game? Really?
I think he knew he wanted to trade in the game before he started but knew he wouldn't get it if he mentioned that. Not the most complex scam but it certainly implies a level of malice.
Confidence tricks exploit human weaknesses like greed, dishonesty, vanity, but also virtues like honesty, compassion, or a naïve expectation of good faith on the part of the con artist.
I went ahead and bolded the relevant part for you
So what was the trick? You think he fabricated the story, using his brilliant con artist 12 year old mind to manipulate Beck into giving him the game? Really?
I think he knew he wanted to trade in the game before he started but knew he wouldn't get it if he mentioned that. Not the most complex scam but it certainly implies a level of malice.
That's entirely possible, and believable, yet an assumption. Maybe he didn't plan to trade it right away, maybe he did but didn't lie about having his stolen (which he would have pawned). I'm usually a cynic of the worst kind and I detest kids, but you guys are almost scary with your conspiracy theories.
Seriously, if it wasn't the perfect storm (kid's sob story (POSSIBLY MADE UP) is what made Beck give him the game, get game and immediatly wants to pawn it, kid starts to ask for more), this wouldn't even be an issue.
If it was a Christmas gift, he could pawn it right away. If the kid made up the story but kept the game nobody would care as long as they don't know. The only thing dickish is the entire context.
I already suggested that you basically gave him money for a PSP. If the sob story + not using the game as expected formula annoys you or insults you, well fine, stop respecting that kid and don't give him anything again, ever. I know I wouldn't. But most of you are going overboard.
Confidence tricks exploit human weaknesses like greed, dishonesty, vanity, but also virtues like honesty, compassion, or a naïve expectation of good faith on the part of the con artist.
I went ahead and bolded the relevant part for you
So what was the trick? You think he fabricated the story, using his brilliant con artist 12 year old mind to manipulate Beck into giving him the game? Really?
I think he knew he wanted to trade in the game before he started but knew he wouldn't get it if he mentioned that. Not the most complex scam but it certainly implies a level of malice.
He definitely already had plans to trade in - but why would he think he was in store for a free game at all? He was offering to make a trade for it and suddenly was presented with a free copy.
If this really was his devious plan all along, why would he then go and reveal his true intentions? Or is that the part where he did it because he's suddenly dumb?
Confidence tricks exploit human weaknesses like greed, dishonesty, vanity, but also virtues like honesty, compassion, or a naïve expectation of good faith on the part of the con artist.
I went ahead and bolded the relevant part for you
So what was the trick? You think he fabricated the story, using his brilliant con artist 12 year old mind to manipulate Beck into giving him the game? Really?
a) the kid acted emotionally attached to / distraught over losing the game enough to convince Beck to give it to him.
b) he obviously didn't care about the game at all as he intended to turn it into gamestop credit at the first opportunity
c) children are quite capable of manipulating people and their emotions - they don't need a 'brilliant con artist mind'
I think that if he did announce his "devious" plan, it's obvious that he was grateful for what the game represented. Unless you think he did this to be smug and boast about his great trick, which would be stupid because Beck was still capable of taking the game back if he decided to.
a) the kid acted emotionally attached to / distraught over losing the game enough to convince Beck to give it to him.
b) he obviously didn't care about the game at all as he intended to turn it into gamestop credit at the first opportunity
c) children are quite capable of manipulating people and their emotions - they don't need a 'brilliant con artist mind'
We have no idea that a) happened at all. All we know is that he saw a copy of pokemon and told his pokemon story. If I see someone has a copy of shiren the wanderer, they are going to get the story of how I lost my copy (if you give it to me I'm probably going to trade it in at gamestop). b) so what. c) children are dumb. I think it is way more likely that the kid was just being really honest than having figured out this great con on the fly. But maybe I'm an optimist.
I don't know, if the kid wanted to trade a different game for Pearl just to trade in Pearl after, either he didn't think at all or he knew Pearl was worth more.
And I'd say he revealed his intentions after because he's a little shit.
I don't know, if the kid wanted to trade a different game for Pearl just to trade in Pearl after, either he didn't think at all or he knew Pearl was worth more.
And I'd say he revealed his intentions after because he's a little shit.
Then again, I do hate children.
Edit: ITT: Civil court.
Well, like I said, Bck could still take it back at that point. I doubt the kid did it because he's a little shit.
But yeah, he is a little shit. And I hate children too.
He asks if I would be interested in trading for my copy. ...But hey, it was for a great cause, right? I'm bringing Pokemon back into a kid's life, and that's awesome. .... I know he'll cherish it.
sounds like it was exactly what happened to me.
ANYWAY, I didn't originally come here trying to prove the kid did it intentionally with malice. I was just trying to say the kid was a little bastard and taking the game back would've been justified IMO.
He asks if I would be interested in trading for my copy. ...But hey, it was for a great cause, right? I'm bringing Pokemon back into a kid's life, and that's awesome. .... I know he'll cherish it.
sounds like it was exactly what happened to me.
Did the kid know that this was the reason he got the game? It seems like having the kid play that exact game and not another was much more valuable to Beck than to the kid himself.
why would the kid ask to trade for a game he was intending to sell?
unless he was trying to trade ping pals or some shit for pokemon it makes no sense.
ANYWAY, I didn't originally come here trying to prove the kid did it intentionally with malice. I was just trying to say the kid was a little bastard and taking the game back would've been justified IMO.
In my opinion the only way it's justified is if the kid did it intentionally with malice~
Same reason people put a bidoof on the GTS asking for a lvl 100 ho-oh. Why would someone want to trade down?
why would the kid ask to trade for a game he was intending to sell?
unless he was trying to trade ping pals or some shit for pokemon it makes no sense.
I gave my cousin my Gamecube and bought him Wind Waker. He had never owned a console before and I thought it would be a big present.
2 months later the ungrateful little shit sold it for 50 bucks to his friend, including the memory card I let him borrow with my game saves on them. He did it because he knew he was getting a 360 for christmas.
I should've given it to my little brother, he would've appreciated it.
I gave my cousin my Gamecube and bought him Wind Waker. He had never owned a console before and I thought it would be a big present.
2 months later the ungrateful little shit sold it for 50 bucks to his friend, including the memory card I let him borrow with my game saves on them. He did it because he knew he was getting a 360 for christmas.
I should've given it to my little brother, he would've appreciated it.
See, THIS is incredibly shitty, and in such a case, I would completely approve smacking the fucking little turd around.
I think we can all learn a lesson here. Never give children anything.
I'm recalling stories my sister has told of her younger attempts at helping the needy with toy donations, discovering that just as many of them have entertainment centers full of the latest video games as are actually in need. I suppose my instinctive assumption nowadays is that you'd only personally give to someone you know in need if you knew fairly well what sort of person they were.
But yes, he has to know why he was given the game; He's 12, he's a naive brat, he's not blind to causation.
...I used to work at a little gas bar. Pumps outside, snacks inside. Robberies about once every six months, but that's not the point. There was this cute little blond kid who'd come in regularly - he was between six and eight, but small for his age. Anyway, one day he comes in and he just kinda' stands around, looking very worried.
"Aaron, what's wrong?" I say. He just stands there, terrified. "Dude, are you okay?" And it bursts out of him,
"That boy wants me to steal cookies but I don't wanna'." I look outside and there's an older boy hiding in some bushes outside. I come out the side door, walk up to him,
"I didn't tell him to steal anything!" he screams.
"You're not allowed back in the store," I tell him, and return inside...
Then I got to this part:
Then I notice Aaron's gone. He's halfway across the huge parking lot
Before I finished reading I just stopped there, thinking "Aaron! That little fucker was a mastermind!", thinking he ran off laughing with the cookies.
...I used to work at a little gas bar. Pumps outside, snacks inside. Robberies about once every six months, but that's not the point. There was this cute little blond kid who'd come in regularly - he was between six and eight, but small for his age. Anyway, one day he comes in and he just kinda' stands around, looking very worried.
"Aaron, what's wrong?" I say. He just stands there, terrified. "Dude, are you okay?" And it bursts out of him,
"That boy wants me to steal cookies but I don't wanna'." I look outside and there's an older boy hiding in some bushes outside. I come out the side door, walk up to him,
"I didn't tell him to steal anything!" he screams.
"You're not allowed back in the store," I tell him, and return inside...
Then I got to this part:
Then I notice Aaron's gone. He's halfway across the huge parking lot
Before I finished reading I just stopped there, thinking "Aaron! That little fucker was a mastermind!", thinking he ran off laughing with the cookies.
Same here. That's exactly what I was expecting at this point, especially considering the kind of discussion the OP set.
Ahahaha, it was that line of thinking that lost you a memory card.
Your little brother no doubt would have stabbed your eyes out.
No, my little brother isn't a dick. I gave him my PS2 at the same time I gave my cousin my Gamecube, and he enjoys the shit out of it.
My cousin just all the sudden got into a phase where he keeps his possessions for a total of 5 minutes. Lucky for me, this phase started with him selling my Gamecube.
He sells his 360 games back to Gamestop a week after buying them. He would give away any of my Xbox games if he borrowed them, which he always asks to.
He sells his 360 games back to Gamestop a week after buying them.
Well I mean, if he's buying them with his savings or allowance or whatever, I don't think that's a problem. But turning around and pawning off your gifts is in quite bad taste.
My little sister Michelle was seven years old two Christmases ago. She's into a lot of the popular girl stuff- Bratz dolls Cheetah Girls microphones and what have you. She's always picking up a new one and she's swamped with them on holidays. So, a lot of people just get her gift certificates to Toys R' Us. So, this Christmas (December of 2006) she got probably five or six cards, four to TRU and I think a couple to Blockbuster since she loves kiddie movies.
Anyway she pranced around her living room trying to pawn them off right then and there, Christmas morning, in front of all the people who'd given them to her.
"Hey Nick I'll give you this $35 card for $10 cash."
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UtsanomikoBros before DoesRollin' in the thlayRegistered Userregular
Then I notice Aaron's gone. He's halfway across the huge parking lot
Before I finished reading I just stopped there, thinking "Aaron! That little fucker was a mastermind!", thinking he ran off laughing with the cookies.
That was my first fleeting thought, too. But then I realized that'd involve both kids coming up with a plan that involves a bait-and-switch distraction using a confession of their true intent.
I might pessimistically suggest a 12 yo is a swindler, but nobody is going to grasp that kind of scheme at age seven. :P
EDIT:
"Hey Nick I'll give you this $35 card for $10 cash."
Nor are they aren't every good at math at that age. That'll make for a fun memory to remind herself of when she's our ages.
"Hey Nick I'll give you this $35 card for $10 cash."
I must be missing something... why the hell would she do that?
I doubt there's nothing she wants at these stores.
I figure she either:
a.) had everything from that 'season' of dolls already,
or
b.) she wanted immediate gratification.
edit: sort of like the irresponsible mom who sells fifty dollars in food stamps for $12.50 in cash. Two packs of cigarettes > 10 gallons of milk for your kid. Combine that sense of irresponsibility with being seven, I guess.
He sells his 360 games back to Gamestop a week after buying them.
Well I mean, if he's buying them with his savings or allowance or whatever, I don't think that's a problem. But turning around and pawning off your gifts is in quite bad taste.
No, it's just stupid. I'm not mad at him for selling all his stuff, I'm just kinda disappointed that he has no concept of how to spend his money.
hey I've not read all the posts but if I was giving something to somebody as a gift and learned they were just going to trade/sell it whatever I would not be happy.
it's like the kid didn't get the whole reason of the gift so why let him keep it..
Posts
Y'all act like the kid had any concept of why he got a free game.
I went ahead and bolded the relevant part for you
No conditions were defined anyway.
This MAY be con artistery, but it may very well not be.
Come Christmas time, I open up a gift and see Ghost Recon in there. My brother got it for me, and the worst part was it was through Amazon and he couldn't return it.
The story ends on a happy note though, as I needed it for the numerous patches and expansion packs that I got for it over the course of a year. I made sure to let my brother know that his copy did not go unused
This is why my parents usually give me cash or gift certificates for Christmas. They don't like that it doesn't feel like a real present, but they don't know about games and technology, and I do, so they feel that I'll appreciate the gift more by choosing it. I usually make sure to let them know what I use it for, so that they feel like they gave me that item.
So what was the trick? You think he fabricated the story, using his brilliant con artist 12 year old mind to manipulate Beck into giving him the game? Really?
I think he knew he wanted to trade in the game before he started but knew he wouldn't get it if he mentioned that. Not the most complex scam but it certainly implies a level of malice.
That's entirely possible, and believable, yet an assumption. Maybe he didn't plan to trade it right away, maybe he did but didn't lie about having his stolen (which he would have pawned). I'm usually a cynic of the worst kind and I detest kids, but you guys are almost scary with your conspiracy theories.
Seriously, if it wasn't the perfect storm (kid's sob story (POSSIBLY MADE UP) is what made Beck give him the game, get game and immediatly wants to pawn it, kid starts to ask for more), this wouldn't even be an issue.
If it was a Christmas gift, he could pawn it right away. If the kid made up the story but kept the game nobody would care as long as they don't know. The only thing dickish is the entire context.
I already suggested that you basically gave him money for a PSP. If the sob story + not using the game as expected formula annoys you or insults you, well fine, stop respecting that kid and don't give him anything again, ever. I know I wouldn't. But most of you are going overboard.
He definitely already had plans to trade in - but why would he think he was in store for a free game at all? He was offering to make a trade for it and suddenly was presented with a free copy.
If this really was his devious plan all along, why would he then go and reveal his true intentions? Or is that the part where he did it because he's suddenly dumb?
a) the kid acted emotionally attached to / distraught over losing the game enough to convince Beck to give it to him.
b) he obviously didn't care about the game at all as he intended to turn it into gamestop credit at the first opportunity
c) children are quite capable of manipulating people and their emotions - they don't need a 'brilliant con artist mind'
We have no idea that a) happened at all. All we know is that he saw a copy of pokemon and told his pokemon story. If I see someone has a copy of shiren the wanderer, they are going to get the story of how I lost my copy (if you give it to me I'm probably going to trade it in at gamestop). b) so what. c) children are dumb. I think it is way more likely that the kid was just being really honest than having figured out this great con on the fly. But maybe I'm an optimist.
And I'd say he revealed his intentions after because he's a little shit.
Then again, I do hate children.
Edit: ITT: Small Claims Court
Well, like I said, Bck could still take it back at that point. I doubt the kid did it because he's a little shit.
But yeah, he is a little shit. And I hate children too.
sounds like it was exactly what happened to me.
ANYWAY, I didn't originally come here trying to prove the kid did it intentionally with malice. I was just trying to say the kid was a little bastard and taking the game back would've been justified IMO.
Did the kid know that this was the reason he got the game? It seems like having the kid play that exact game and not another was much more valuable to Beck than to the kid himself.
http://www.audioentropy.com/
unless he was trying to trade ping pals or some shit for pokemon it makes no sense.
In my opinion the only way it's justified is if the kid did it intentionally with malice~
Same reason people put a bidoof on the GTS asking for a lvl 100 ho-oh. Why would someone want to trade down?
This is by far the best post in this thread.
2 months later the ungrateful little shit sold it for 50 bucks to his friend, including the memory card I let him borrow with my game saves on them. He did it because he knew he was getting a 360 for christmas.
I should've given it to my little brother, he would've appreciated it.
Ahahaha, it was that line of thinking that lost you a memory card.
Your little brother no doubt would have stabbed your eyes out.
See, THIS is incredibly shitty, and in such a case, I would completely approve smacking the fucking little turd around.
Truly. That is some good poast.
I think we can all learn a lesson here. Never give children anything.
My curiosity wonders what his parents would think if they knew where all of this game store trade-in booty came from.
I'm recalling stories my sister has told of her younger attempts at helping the needy with toy donations, discovering that just as many of them have entertainment centers full of the latest video games as are actually in need. I suppose my instinctive assumption nowadays is that you'd only personally give to someone you know in need if you knew fairly well what sort of person they were.
But yes, he has to know why he was given the game; He's 12, he's a naive brat, he's not blind to causation.
Then I got to this part:
Before I finished reading I just stopped there, thinking "Aaron! That little fucker was a mastermind!", thinking he ran off laughing with the cookies.
Same here. That's exactly what I was expecting at this point, especially considering the kind of discussion the OP set.
My cousin just all the sudden got into a phase where he keeps his possessions for a total of 5 minutes. Lucky for me, this phase started with him selling my Gamecube.
He sells his 360 games back to Gamestop a week after buying them. He would give away any of my Xbox games if he borrowed them, which he always asks to.
Well I mean, if he's buying them with his savings or allowance or whatever, I don't think that's a problem. But turning around and pawning off your gifts is in quite bad taste.
My little sister Michelle was seven years old two Christmases ago. She's into a lot of the popular girl stuff- Bratz dolls Cheetah Girls microphones and what have you. She's always picking up a new one and she's swamped with them on holidays. So, a lot of people just get her gift certificates to Toys R' Us. So, this Christmas (December of 2006) she got probably five or six cards, four to TRU and I think a couple to Blockbuster since she loves kiddie movies.
Anyway she pranced around her living room trying to pawn them off right then and there, Christmas morning, in front of all the people who'd given them to her.
"Hey Nick I'll give you this $35 card for $10 cash."
That was my first fleeting thought, too. But then I realized that'd involve both kids coming up with a plan that involves a bait-and-switch distraction using a confession of their true intent.
I might pessimistically suggest a 12 yo is a swindler, but nobody is going to grasp that kind of scheme at age seven. :P
EDIT: Nor are they aren't every good at math at that age. That'll make for a fun memory to remind herself of when she's our ages.
I must be missing something... why the hell would she do that?
I doubt there's nothing she wants at these stores.
I figure she either:
a.) had everything from that 'season' of dolls already,
or
b.) she wanted immediate gratification.
edit: sort of like the irresponsible mom who sells fifty dollars in food stamps for $12.50 in cash. Two packs of cigarettes > 10 gallons of milk for your kid. Combine that sense of irresponsibility with being seven, I guess.
it's like the kid didn't get the whole reason of the gift so why let him keep it..