Thank God, because life would be pretty boring without grifters. Of course, our appetite for the con persists only as long as we don t fall victim to it. This seems to imply a nation of smug finger-pointers, a cult of schadenfreude. But our love of scammery has its roots in something more humane. It comes from an appreciation of the artist rather than a contempt for the victim.
Con artists are true creators.
The grifter produces something out of nothing, and that, by any standard, is an admirable thing. What a kick that must be. And we love the game because we are Americans. It appeals to our democratic sensibilities all you need to grift is a good idea and a stout heart. We love the game because it is crime with a dash of enterprise, a comical subversion of the American Dream.