View Full Version : Scruples
OK. We need something controversial to whet the forum's appetite....
Let's say you were in financial ruin facing loan sharks, the full caboodle etc.
You discover that your friend has left their lottery ticket out somewhere and when you check the numbers discover that they have won something. Let's say that it is £80,000 rather than the Millions..You both buy the tickets from the same newsagents every week and both get lucky dips.
What do you do? Do you swap your losing ticket with theirs knowing that you are in greater need than your friend (he/she is financially sound) or inform your friend in the hope that they will remember you in the glory of their winnings?
If you took the ticket, your friend could find out as they may have marked the ticket or folded it in someway or even remembered the numbers? On the other hand your friend could be absent minded and you know you would get away with it. Answer how you like.
Your conscience is the main debating issue here. Not whether you could get away with it or not.
Me? I'd tell the friend as I could not live with the guilt of denying my friend the winnings. I may be in financial ruin but that is no reason to "rob" someone of something......
Graham F
15-10-2004, 10:50
tell your friend then they will be so happy they would share it with you. Honesty does pay :D
Thieving from friends is one of the scummiest things anyone could do.
Thieving from friends is one of the scummiest things anyone could do.
Answer the question please :p: :)
Well, I handed in a pound I found by the office door the other day ... :p:
No contest really, it's theirs, you have to give it back. To me, the considerations about how likely you are to get caught aren't relevant. The 'wrong' is in the stealing, not the being caught stealing.
The temptation would be strong, no matter where someone's morals lay.
I for one would find it very very difficult to ensure the money went to the correct owner - but I like to think my conscience would save the day and guide me to the right thing.
Answer the question please :p: :)
There's no way I'd ever steal anything from any of my friends, however, if I found a winning lottery ticket lying in the road, that'd be a different matter.
Umm <coughs> I have to admit I would take the ticket and the money !! But give my freind a decent proportion of the winnings !! :erm:
I admit I have very few people I would call real friends :o
ian@huth
15-10-2004, 11:32
I would agree with Russ on this issue. It is quite easy to say what you should and would do in any situation but it is only when you find yourself in that situation that your true actions are displayed. Think about you being in a really desperate financial situation where you could lose everything that you have built up during your life including your wife / husband and children. Some may think that suicide is the only way out and then they see that lottery ticket.
I don't think person should keep the ticket, but I think in real life more often than not, they would. Which leads me to my second point...
I would agree with Russ on this issue. It is quite easy to say what you should and would do in any situation but it is only when you find yourself in that situation that your true actions are displayed. Think about you being in a really desperate financial situation where you could lose everything that you have built up during your life including your wife / husband and children. Some may think that suicide is the only way out and then they see that lottery ticket.
Exactly :tu:
I'm so glad I don't know any of you IRL, I'd have to nail everything down.
Oi! I'm a good boy. :angel:
MetaWraith
15-10-2004, 13:21
This thread is a bit like an after dinner social party game I used to play called "Know thy Avatar". Will have to dig up the dilemma's we used for that.
I don't think I'd keep it. But Russ has a point though.......hopefuly it'll never come to such a situation.....
as people know im an honest person i would admit they have won :)
Thieving from friends is one of the scummiest things anyone could do.
Yes, but what do you *really* think?! ;)
andygrif
15-10-2004, 14:07
I'd give the ticket back to friend telling them you thought they had won a reasonable amount of cash. And can I have a loan please?
I dont know.
I am basically an honest person and have nevr stolen or ripped anyone off, but who knows in the circumstances.
I always say a good beating is the only way to deal with **** who do that, so just to be fair if I ever steal or rip anyone off everyone on this board is invited to come and give me a good kicking!
I cant be fairer than that can I, live by the sword and die by the sword. :disturbd:
I'm with Bifta on this issue.I wouldn't even steal it from an enemy. :angel:
Incog. :)
Would not even have to think for a second, give it back at once, :angel:
Damn, a conscience can be a bloody pain at times, but I always sleep well.
paulyoung666
15-10-2004, 16:25
not saying anyone here is dishonest , but i wonder what ppl would do if faced with the situation in real life , for instance , i am running the lottery syndicate at work , if our numbers came up , what would i do ???????? , i hope i would share it out as is supposed to be the case , but who knows :disturbd:
not saying anyone here is dishonest , but i wonder what ppl would do if faced with the situation in real life , for instance , i am running the lottery syndicate at work , if our numbers came up , what would i do ???????? , i hope i would share it out as is supposed to be the case , but who knows :disturbd:
Thats been said in work with me, the guy jokingly said he wouldnt turn up on the monday morning if we won. I asked him if he thought the world would be a big enough place to hide forever and he thought about it and said No.
I am the guy who once dealt very severly with someone in the pub who stole my 20p off the pool table, the amount has nothing to do with it, it's all down to the principle of the matter. The guy in question was claiming dole, working on a building site, owned a shop that was in his mothers name and had split with his wife and kicked her out so the council gave her a house, he then sold their house and moved in with her and the kids.
It's fair to say i didn't like the guy before he gave me an excuse! :shocked:
not saying anyone here is dishonest , but i wonder what ppl would do if faced with the situation in real life , for instance , i am running the lottery syndicate at work , if our numbers came up , what would i do ???????? , i hope i would share it out as is supposed to be the case , but who knows :disturbd:I refer the honourable gentleman to the previous post. I know what I would do, it is not that difficult a question for me, and I have known hard times in the past.
My nickname at the squash club is not "Honest Jim" for nothing.:cool:
paulyoung666
15-10-2004, 17:20
I refer the honourable gentleman to the previous post. I know what I would do, it is not that difficult a question for me, and I have known hard times in the past.
My nickname at the squash club is not "Honest Jim" for nothing.:cool:
just bouncing things about :disturbd: :D :D :D :angel:
just bouncing things about :disturbd: :D :D :D :angel:
Then and again, if it was your ticket,:p:
paulyoung666
15-10-2004, 19:46
Then and again, if it was your ticket,:p:
i would be hopping mad :disturbd: :disturbd: :disturbd:
MovedGoalPosts
15-10-2004, 19:55
It's difficult to envisage the circumstances forcing such the desperation to releive the true owner of their winning ticket. I think there are very few people, however morally sound they might be (and I hope that I too am quite sound), that could hand on heart never say they wouldn't stoop so low.
However, over time guilt would build up. I doubt I could keep quiet forever.
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