WRONG CHANGE TO FINANCIAL FRAUD

As the glory of Western Civilization, "Free Enterprise" falls into crisis and those who own and operate it fight with one another about how to save their glorious contraption, it seems like a time to relax. After all, wondering about food shortages and a cold winter without utilities, is stressful. I hate homelessness! Yeah, it's time to relax.

Somehow I find it relaxing to think about some of the instruments of individual and mass deception. Specifically I am referring to mathematical concepts that are used to manipulate the public and politicians alike into doing irrational and destructive things.

I am going to use the term MATH ABUSE to refer to the misuse of math, and/or math concepts to deceive others. Such math abuse often results in poor decisions by those abused by the misinformation. Promises of an inexpensive war come to mind. Lying about one's age is another.

Incorrect change is one form of math abuse we have all encountered. Just the other day I had to point out to a sly cashier that I had given her twenty dollars, not ten.

Of course, the scam called "passing twenties" depicted in the movie Paper Moon is the same kind of math abuse but in reverse. This time the customer walks off with too much change.

Curiously, my own experience is that a conversation with a cashier is likely to lead to an unintentional error. If it is in the customer's favor the situation could become unethical. I don't see this as math abuse as such.

{This, perhaps ultimately, reflects the close relationship between gibberish and intelligent thought, perhaps a boundary where intelligence itself virtually exists? }