Which group do you trust most to level with you, overall?

[0rganism]

Let's say you were engaged in a conversation with a member of one of these "demographics", and s/he noticed your fly was unzipped, you dropped a $20-bill on the floor, your makeup was smeared, and your shoes were untied. Select the "demographic" you think would be most likely to tell you these things outright instead of taking advantage of them.

Yes, this is an apples-oranges comparison, but I trust oranges more than apples. So there!

[Booberdawg]

1. Well shit! This is impossible to pick.

I think people in any of those groups would come through, and I think there are people in all of those groups that would let one down as well.

[0rganism]

3. Sure, so let's say you have no background other than what's in the poll

You only know them by their career.

Certainly, some individuals will be more honest about some topics in some circumstances. For instance, I might trust Bush* to tell me his honest opinion of which club would do best on a given lay on the 13th hole at the Star Ranch Golf Club, if I were his caddy. I wouldn't trust him at all in matters of foreign policy.

But forget all that for now.

[Booberdawg]

6. But your poll is more about honesty and integrity than expertise

asking golf or foreign policy advice is about expertise, the issues in your poll are about basic honesty.

Honest - I'm not trying to be difficult, I just can't get my brain wrapped around this. I don't think the issues raised have anything to do with the demographics. For example, I don't think even a crooked politician would take advantage of someone with their shoes untied?? Lawyers have reputations for being shysters but I don't think they'd bother with my $20 bill if I dropped it. I guess I can't speak for others but I always tell people if their fly is unzipped.

What is the point you are trying to prove with the poll? Maybe it would help to know more about what you have in mind.

[0rganism]

13. Expertise is another issue entirely! I should start a separate poll for it

But my comparison stands -- I don't think bush* is necessarily any better at golf than he is at foreign policy, even if he spends more time on golf. He would just be motivated to give you his honest opinion if you were his caddy, so he could get what he thought would be the right club. I wouldn't trust his advice if I were playing in a golf tournament against him. Likewise, whether he knew anything about foreign policy would be independent of whether I would trust him for a straight answer. There are, of course, some people who are experts yet dishonest. For example, Dr. Kissenger is such an expert who I would not trust to give me a straight answer.

[mddemo]

8. honesty

Not sure i trust anyone anymore, everybody tells me im overweight and bald, and i dont believe a word of it.

[Abe Linkman]

2. None of the above, but few actively seek oppy's to "betray"

n/t

[Brucey]

4. I chose educators

because they're always preaching about helping others and being honest, so I think they might come through more than the others. (Except for the $20, because they don't earn much.)

[IIgnoreNobody]

5. I've met several crazy guys with shopping carts

whose flies were unzipped.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi IIgnoreNobody!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[0rganism]

14. Did you tell them about it?

If so, did they notice you telling them?

[sham]

7. In a former life, I might have chosen doctors.

They take an oath, after all.

But after what I saw in Texas over the past few months, with doctors on TV whining "Save my job, vote yes on 12, even though you're the one who's getting screwed," I don't really even trust them anymore.

And I have never really trusted educators. No offense to anyone here who may be one, but I have met too many who have their own agendas. (Forced praying, not wanting to allow "gay" clubs, preference of certain students over others, etc.)

So I choose "none of the above" and try not to drop any $20 bills on the ground.

[Bryan]

10. I chose doctors

...partly because I took context into effect; I think that, on the whole, doctors have a greater likelihood of being honest, even if only because there's can be a linkage between the nature of their expertise and the chance of honesty redounding to their benefit.

For instance, I'm pretty sure my doctor will tell me if he thinks the golf-ball-sized lump I found in my armpit should be removed rather than ignored, even if only because he and/or one of his brethren can soak me for the lumpectomy, painkillers, a hospital stay, et alia and keep me alive (and thus, a regular patient and a steady source of income, while shining me on and waiting for it to get bigger and more $evere might wind up killing me and removing the future income potential).

Lawyers, I think, would be likelier to encounter situations where lying to me redounds to their benefit ("I've taken the liberty of drawing up a standard contract for you, and you don't need to bore yourself with the details...") so, viewing them purely as a group, I would trust them less.

[shimmergal]

11. Sci-fi authors and trekkies might not mention the shoelaces,

the unzipped fly, or the smeared makeup. They might even think it was a deliberate part of your persona.

But I'd bet on them to pick up the $20 bill and give it back to you.
(Maybe suggesting you join them in buying dinner or a couple of drinks with it!)

[NNN0LHI]

12. Used car salesmen and police officers

[0rganism]

15. Why set them up to fail?

I only put the politicians category in there because this is supposed to be a politics-oriented forum.

[0rganism]

16. This is interesting.... Everyone has at least one vote EXCEPT journalists

I don't know if I should be amused or not.

[eleny]

17. I never met a shopping cart I didn't like

[ComerPerro]

18. I sure as hell did

You know the ones that have that wheel that just won't turn? Or it is turned, but perpendicular to the way you want to go? And it just drags and scrapes. And everyone looks at you.
I hate that shit.

[eleny]

19. Well, that's giving it to us straight!