[kordlessagain]

Assholes will rationalize any way they can, and a lot of the population is "set up" to hear these excuses and evaluate them. So, for a small percentage of assholes, they will have such good excuses nobody holds them accountable.

Funny how calling out well-dressed manipulation bothers some people more than the manipulation itself. Almost like some folks need the illusion to stay intact.

[eftychis]

You hit the nail in the head with your last sentence. It is a psychological defense mechanism.

People don't want to be associated with fraud and would do any mind tricks to explain things away, while knowing the illusion is there.