Again with the "Intelligence"

I know I've already written about this topic, but really, I have to get this out of my chest, so here we go.

It's impossible not to notice how often scammers, corrupts and thiefts are described as "intelligent" or even "very intelligent". Maybe I'm too analytical (no, there is not such thing), but each time I hear a scammer or a corrupt person described in those terms, I try to understand what is it that they call "brilliant" or "intelligent" about their actions. And time and time again, I come to realize that there is nothing in their actions that would reveal any sort of intelligence. That doesn't mean that they are stupid people, but their crime - for which they are called "intelligent" has no trace of intelligence in its conceiving or implementing. What I do have found in the cases I have been able to analize - and as far as news clips and other bits of information I have been able to obtain in certain cases - show that the key for their criminal enterprise resides in their willingness to go against moral and ethical standards. In other words, in order to commit a crime, they have to have a loose moral code that allows them to take advantage of the social courtesies that bind us all in a cordial, peaceful society.

Just notice how the "intelligent" criminals are usually people of a higher standing in life, and their crimes usually occur on these higher spheres. Many of them are also considered to be "successful" people. There migt be also a level of "money protects money" kind of thing going on, but the point I want to focus here is how the people who choose to commit crimes of corruption or scamming, usually put themselves in higher positions, commaning the trust of others, and then their deference.

These steps are important: first they earn trust and then proceed with their crime. 

People tend to approach others with trust. Trust is granted, invested and so losing it is not an easy matter. Taking advantage of this, the so called "intelligent" criminals start abusing of the trust deposited in themselves, and then abusing the system, bending and breaking the laws, holding in the shrads of remaining trust, and then the cordiality and the manners imposed on their victims, who expect the criminal to start behaving properly and some point.

There are no laws that demand you to be truthful (unless you are testifying before court), nor to behave in a morally impeccable manner. Laws actually don't condemn you for conducting yourself in an unethical way, or for taking advantage of the trust deposited in you. So much of the law is up to interpretation, that if you make sure to put your people in the right places, you can even ensure that either cases against you will be halted or interpreted to your benefit. However, the main point is that these criminals are willing not to be ethical, and so the considerations that would stop others do not stop them. For that, all you need is to be an unethical person, someone lacking of integrity. No need of intelligence for that.

On this line, I find them actually lacking of intelligence, as their actions are highly risky and short termed. You can scamm a group of people, and though you get to rip them off, it will be difficult to scamm them a second time. Yes, it can happen, but the criminal enterprise will be less succcessful. Eventually, the criminals will run out of people to scamm, and also would have burned out their reputation, so will hardly find ways to make ends meet - unless they latch onto someone or some organization willing to take them in. For a profit.

However, why are people prone to think them "intelligent"? Because people who are victims of their shenanigans don't want to feel stupid.

Being scammed, defrauded, being victimized by corruption bears a stain similar to that of being raped: the victim is re-victimized because they are made feel stupid for having fallen into the scheme. People thus protect themselves, by choosing to believe their abusers, their scammers are very intelligent people, and so they had no way to defend against them. As humans, we want to still believe. We want to trust.

It's hard, because all of us can fall victims of scammers, and we feel angry and ashamed, specially when we are also surrounded by people who praise them and want to follow their steps.

So, what can we do? Well, first of all observe, learn, reseach, get more than one opinion on different matters. Trust, as long as what is asked from you do not compromise you, your resources or your loved ones. Don't fear to ask questions, and mistrust anyone who treats your questions as signs of stupidity. Remember that lack of intelligence isn't revealed in the questions asked, but the answers given.

Then, denounce, and don't be afraid to stand up strong. As Shallon Lester says so often: What we permit, we promote. Make that effort, for you and your neighborhood: Stand up against abuse, corruption and crime. It's in your hands.