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The difference is intent. A con is a confidence play with the intent to deceive. Elon’s MO is a confidence play with intent to succeed — the confidence motivate
by garmaine 9y ago
The difference is intent. A con is a confidence play with the intent to deceive. Elon’s MO is a confidence play with intent to succeed — the confidence motivates success of the organization (at great labor cost) that would otherwise be unobtainable.
- philwelch 9y agoThat’s not the standard etymology, is it? I always thought that a con game was called a “confidence game” because the perpetrator is gaining the “confidence” of the mark.
- mikeash 9y agoYes, exactly. These are all synonyms. People use “con” instead of “confidence game” just to save skme syllables, not to impart a different meaning.
- philwelch 9y agoAlthough abbreviations, as Orwell pointed out, do tend to assume their own connotations—e.g. “Comintern” vs. “Communist International”, or more blatantly, “Nazi” vs. “National Socialist”.
- ttul 9y agoThis is a fair comment.