Why Do Humans Fall For Ponzi Schemes?

It seems we've talked about some of the positive"Wow John, great question, and it is amazing how
things on this show, that is to say many of thewell people can lie, and go out of their way to cloak
positive aspects of human behavior. So much so, thattheir true identity. It's completely interesting how
sometimes we don't talk about the negative things,imaginative Ponzi scheme operators can be, and how
the unfortunate challenges we have with humanelaborate their tales can get."
behavior on the negative side of things. We'veAfter all, it wasn't too long ago Bernie Madoff got
reviewed how people can cause positive events tocaught after he "made off" with everyone's money,
occur in their lives, and we talked about love,what was that something like $60 billion, that's just
philanthropy, volunteerism, community, mentoring, andunbelievable. In fact, he had everyone fooled, he was
a host of other great things.a socialite, gave money to charities, had offices and a
Now I don't want to get anybody into a negativecompany with employees. He fooled the regulators,
mood, but let's go ahead and turn the tables on thishe sounded so legit no one questioned him. And yet
conversation for this particular show. Let's go aheadafter he got caught, the world was amazed he was
and hear some questions people have of the not soable to get away with it, and how stupid anyone
great things that we see in our society andcould be for falling for it.
civilization; things like greed, arrogance, deviousness,Still, tons of people gave him their hard-earned
anger, lying, cheating, violence, and the humanmoney without asking the right questions. I wonder if
behavior associated with those types of things.it is because people believe what they want to
Remember let's go ahead and discuss this and try tobelieve and that maybe that is part of the human
keep it on a positive note, and let's try to bring somepsyche. Maybe that's what makes humans who they
understanding as to why humans do the things theyare, and what makes them different, it's hard to say,
do and why they are the way they are. Now then,but this could be one of the reasons people fall for
it's time to take a caller, and let's see what questionsPonzi Schemes.
you have on human psychology in our modern"Big John" I want to thank you for your call today,
setting in society.and I must say I don't know why? But if anyone in
"Hello there "Big John" Bell from Burns Valleythe audience would like to suit me an e-mail and tell
California, you are on the air what is your question."me, I'd be willing to listen. Just don't get burned in
"Yes, I'd like to know why it is, huh, hmm, why isBurns Valley!
that humans fall for such stupid Ponzi schemes?"