How gullible are you?
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
United States
July 17, 2017 8:02am CST
Gullible - According to Dictionary.com - 'easily deceived or cheated'
Synonyms include: credulous, trusting, naive, innocent, simple, green
The internet has given us the opportunity to communicate with people from all over the world....people we normally would not meet. Since there is no face-to-face interaction and usually no way to verify information, how do we know the people we are talking to are telling the truth?
We don't - we have to trust our instincts. I may have been young, trusting and naive many years ago, but that's not me today. I am 99 percent sure I am not easily deceived. I say 99 percent because some people are very good at telling untruths.
I can tell you all kinds of things about myself, but are they true? If I were to tell you a bunch of outrageous lies would you believe me, believe my lies?
Sure, we get taken once in a while....like buying a 'miracle product' that in no way could possibly work....
But being deceived by another human being is different. How trusting are you? How gullible are you?
Photo from PIxabay
21 people like this
21 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
17 Jul 17
I have never considered myself as gullible and always recognise scams instinctively.
However, for online acquaintances we have very little to judge by. If a person chooses to masquerade as being different to what they are, it could be impossible to detect. They have the option to think closely before responding. Furthermore we are unable to observe their general demeanour as we could with offline acquaintances.
4 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
17 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill I have been called 'one of a kind' many times, but rarely as a compliment.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@Asylum Why do you always put yourself down?
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
You said it much more eloquently than I did LOL! I would bet 100 percent you are not gullible. I think you are also one of a kind.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (457967)
• Switzerland
17 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill It's hard to really know someone you do not meet in person, but from what people write you can spot the liars.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@LadyDuck Yes since mot liars don't remember the lies they tell. If you want to be a good liar you have to have an excellent memory.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I know what you mean. Trusting people to fast isn't a good thing in many cases. I would prefer the true person.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I am skeptical in the extreme. But so far, my experience with the people I have met online has been really good, I have met lots of them in person and they are exactly who they purported to be. But, if someone didn't want to meet, I would assume they have something to hide!!
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
17 Jul 17
It is expected for a person to be different than we think because we tend to create a mental picture of a person, which cannot be accurate.
It is like reading a book and then watching the film. We have already created our own image of the characters and even imagine a voice for them. Clearly this character would be impossible to emulate.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill Yes well one had a picture that was her so long ago that I didn't recognize her so that was disconcerting and it turned out she wasn't a very nice person so that went nowhere but it was the only one.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I have met several from the old writing sites and one I'm friends with and I write for her blog. One turned out to be a little too off the wall for us....he talked non-stop about himself for hours while we sat and had to smile and nod LOL!
2 people like this
@valmnz (17099)
• New Zealand
19 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill exacctly, but gut instinct does give us an informed belief. It doesn't take long to realising that something doesn't ring true.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Jul 17
People wear costums online...Unless you have met the person how do you know if Val is who she says she is? How do you know if I'm who I say?
3 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
17 Jul 17
That's the one good thing about "experience being a good teacher" @AbbyGreenhill . The older we get the more cynical we become. I wouldn't even believe someone if they had their hand on a Bible and swore they were telling the truth.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
Unfortunately, there are lot of 'old folks' who don't have experience LOL!
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Jul 17
@nanette64 That's one way to put it.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
18 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill Very true. They must have been the 'coddled' ones.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129431)
• Israel
18 Jul 17
Like you said how do we know you are telling us the truth here? I either trust so far or do not trust at all. I put up a wall and when it goes down and someone makes me feel terrible then I am angry and do not want to trust again. There are people that I do know that I trust with my heart and others not. I was the only one that knew what these people that lived above me here in my building for two long years were like. They were liars and did not know the truth if they stepped on it. Others did not pay attention, but, since we lived directly below they we got the noise they made. People here would not listen so I was really alone with my cat to deal with it. I hope they are gone and but I think there are some up there again that act the same way. I have not seen anyone so do not know. Sick people are good examples of deceiving people. They can be very charming and then there are those that really see what they are like and others do not. I hope I have learned throughout the years not to be so gullible.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Jul 17
That is right - some lke your example are trying to hide things, but those living close can hear what the truth is.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169908)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I used to be very gullible, but not so much these days. I just don;t trust people as much anymore, sad to say.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I think we have to not be trusting, the world isn't a nice place and people are not often nice.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158958)
• Boise, Idaho
17 Jul 17
I think that when I was young I was very gullible. I learned a lot. I am now not very trusting at all. I have learned by trial and error and so I am very vigilant and careful now days. Good common sense and trusting our instincts is very important. Young people don't seem to take this seriously and they should. Even some older folks don't seem to.They are so innocent and trusting it is rather sad.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (158958)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill ......Yes, I do as well. Sad. Common sense and communication is so important.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Jul 17
Sometimes the 'smart ones' with the big degrees have zero common sense. I have a story about that I should share.
2 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
17 Jul 17
I am sure that I am not gullible.I do not try to cheat others either.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
That's good, keep up the nice job.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
That's pretty high, I will have to try to trick you now!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
Myself first and foremost, then my husband, and I won't name the others.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill Okay no whistle blower here.LOL
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
You aren't alone in that I'm sure. I was like that in my younger years.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
18 Jul 17
I trust no one and I assume nothing anymore.
Being a landlady has made me think that more people lie than not.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Jul 17
I trust two people.....only. One if myself.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Jul 17
I used to have 'doormat' written on me, but I got over that 30 years ago.
2 people like this
@CookieMonster46 (13447)
• United States
19 Jul 17
I don't share details, like where I live or certain things, because of the internet, I am very cautions at all times. At one time I used to be more trusting.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
19 Jul 17
In some ways I'm a bit gullible... especially on line... If you say you are abby and 57 ..or 63 .. or blonde and rich .. i'd believe you... but when dealing with people face to face ... I believe I have very good discernment skills in reading people...I call it my spider sense... and am much less quick to believe anything and everything....
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79694)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I got duped a few times when I was younger and I'm not gullible now (or at least I don't think I am). As for online I would probably tend to believe what someone tells me unless it sounds too far fetched.
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@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
As Oprah said, if it walks and talks and looks like a duck - it's a duck.
2 people like this
@Pheomenon101 (139)
•
17 Jul 17
I'm real sceptical of those around me but you never know so if I were to rate how gullible I am i would put it 1.3%
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I don't know why people have to 'pretend' to be who they aren't - that's why I don't trust a lof of people in cyberspace.
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@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@Pheomenon101 I even question myself at times lol
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@Pheomenon101 (139)
•
17 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill like wise. It is hard to trust people out of cyberspace much less those on cyberspace.
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@shikharava (1838)
•
17 Jul 17
I'm not gullible. It's really difficult to cheat me...
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@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
Not necessarily does it have to be cheated, deceived isn't as bad as being cheated - or is it?
2 people like this
@shikharava (1838)
•
17 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill yes, that too. It's not easy to deceive me
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@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@shikharava I might have to test you on this!
2 people like this
