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"there's a sucker born every minute"

genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
edited April 2012 in General Banter
You may be satisfied to imagine that circus magnate P.T. Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute," but the real story of who said it and why is much more pungent ... and worth adding to your totally-useless-information file.

:)

Comments

  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    Wow... that is something.. feel like a serial sucker.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Given that babies drink milk that way, i would say there are actually 255 born every minute.... ;)
  • YishaiYishai Veteran
    Any time I see a quote nowadays, I just do a quick reference check to make sure.
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    Apparently there are more attributions on the quote than the single bit I linked to. Frankly, I don't care: The tale is good enough to tell whether it's fact or fiction.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    I wonder how members feel about that story, morally. In America, it seems like "anything goes" is the slogan. Whatever you can get away with. No illegality was committed, so what Barnum and Hannum did was ok. The deceit is a turn-off for me.
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    @Dakini -- Deceit is not something anyone is able to escape in life... but that is not the same as saying deceit is something we should go out and practice, that it is OK. If we averted our faces from every deception we encountered in life, what sort of Buddhists would we be? When I look in the bathroom mirror, I am not sure whether Barnum, Hannum or I am the greatest hoax-ster.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited April 2012
    @genkaku Thanks. I just thought it was a good question to stimulate debate and reflection.
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