The Confidence Game
The Psychology of the Con and Why We Fall for It Every Time
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4.0 • 6 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The con artist: from Bernie Madoff to Clark Rockefeller to Lance Armstrong. How do they get away with it? And what keeps us falling for them, over and over again? In The Confidence Game, Maria Konnikova investigates the psychological principles that underlie each stage of the swindle, from the put-up all the way to the fix, and how we can train ourselves to spot a story that isn't all it seems.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
We got totally wrapped up in Maria Konnikova’s colourful examination of con artists and the marks that who fall for their deceptions. The Confidence Game is a thrilling look at the psychological underpinnings of every con, from a rapid-fire game of three-card monte to an elaborate Ponzi scheme years in the making. With fascinating anecdotes and character profiles, Konnikova shows us how swindlers and “aristocrats of crime” thrive during periods of social upheaval and capitalise on the fundamental human desire to live in a world that can rise above doldrum existence to deliver flashes of magic and good luck.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Konnikova (Mastermind) opens a door to the fascinating world of truly brilliant con artists not the quotidian hustlers, but the Madoffs of the world. She asks whether they are psychopaths, epic narcissists, or just regular Joes with extraordinary confidence and a skill for telling a good story. Konnikova provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of some of recent history's smoothest talkers, covering the setups and executions of some of their extraordinary scams. From consumer fraud and online scams to complex, multiyear grifts and bald-faced lies, readers are reminded that these scams could happen to anyone and are far more common than is commonly realized no one, after all, wants to admit to having been duped. As for why people fall for these cons, Konnikova shows that it's because humans want to believe great stories and don't necessarily recognize the fine line between a legitimate story and an illegitimate one. Told with vigor and enthusiasm, this study of the psychology of the con artist is riveting and cleverly told.
