[brady747]

Sounds like the Alinsky bit in "Rules for Radicals" about working inside and outside of people's experiences:

"....In a similar situation in Los Angeles four staff members and I were talking in front of the Biltmore Hotel when I demonstrated the same point, saying: "Look, I am holding a ten-dollar bill in my hand. I propose to walk around the Biltmore Hotel, a total of four blocks, and try to give it away. This will certainly be outside of everyone's experience. You four walk behind me and watch the faces of the people I'll approach. I am going to go up to them holding out this ten-dollar bill and say, 'Here, take this.' My guess is that everyone will back off, look confused, insulted, or fearful, and want to get away from this nut fast.

From their experience when someone approaches them he is either out to ask for instructions or to panhandle — particularly the way I'm dressed, no coat or tie."

I walked around, trying to give the ten-dollar bill away. The reactions were all "within the experiences of the people." About three of them, seeing the ten-dollar bill, spoke first — "I'm sorry. I don't have any change." Others hurried past saying, "I'm sorry, I don't have any money on me right now," as though I had been trying to get money from them instead of trying to give them money. One young woman flared up, almost screaming, "I'm not that kind of a girl and if you don't get away from here, I'll call a cop!" Another woman in her thirties snarled, "I don't come that cheap!" There was one man who stopped and said, "What kind of a con game is this?"...."

https://archive.org/stream/RulesForRadicals/RulesForRadicals...

[pdm55]

I lived off handouts for a year while I writing up my research results. Finished it and got a job through a friend. When I got my first paycheck, I went to an ATM and took out a $100. I was so disorientated about actually having some money in the bank that, when I removed my bank card, I left my money behind. I walked about 15 meters before I realised what I had done. I naively returned to the bank and went inside to explain what had happened. (I mean did I really expect the teller to believe me or be able to do anything about it?) There were two young guys at the bank's information desk handing in the money. I said "That's mine", took it and walked away. I wanted to give them a reward, but thought their good deed would have to be its own reward.

[zem]

given that there are a lot of scams that start by giving the mark something in order to create a sense of obligation, it's not an unreasonable response

[Doxin]

The trick to those is to take the thing and then not feel obligated to do anything whatsoever.

[Majestic121]

That's good in theory, but in practice the con men will ask for what they gave back and might get violent if you refuse.

I'd give up on ten dollars if it means not having to fight/argue this way on the street.

[Doxin]

oh obviously don't get into a fight, but I see no problem in being annoying to con men if you can do so safely. It's not like you're gonna get decked straight away if you refuse to give it back. As always use your own judgement.

[falsedan]

Some people have the human social impulse wired too strongly to do that.

[brady747]

Agreed. I don't believe you are implying this, but neither Saul nor I intend to state their reactions are unreasonable. Merely to indicate how divergent reactions can be in different populations and how this can be utilized.

[kowdermeister]

I tried this and got exact same results in Budapest many years ago.

[Vivtek]

I am literally laughing imagining the Hungarian reaction to this. (Wife is Hungarian, and I lived in Bp for a few years.)

[kowdermeister]

Well, get this. The first guy who took it was a well known politician, Deutsch Tamás now responsible for "the internet". You can't make this up.