[Earl Grey]

If there was an ID with the wallet, I'll do my best to return it to the rightful owner. If there was no way to identify the owner, I'd probably leave it where I found it.

Then again, I'm typing this with a belly full of food and a roof over my head. I don't know if I would make the same choices if I wasn't so fortunate.

[roberto]

(07-14-2014 04:19 PM)Earl Grey Wrote:  

If there was an ID with the wallet, I'll do my best to return it to the rightful owner. If there was no way to identify the owner, I'd probably leave it where I found it.

Then again, I'm typing this with a belly full of food and a roof over my head. I don't know if I would make the same choices if I wasn't so fortunate.

Here in the UK, if there's no ID I would hand it in to the cops. If nobody claims it after a certain period, it's yours.

Our town cops are straight and honest. City cops may vary.

[Beyond Borders]

(07-14-2014 06:24 AM)pitt Wrote:  

c) No. I will only do it if it is a really hot woman, otherwise I would assume that it is a set up.

LOL Man, you cracked me up with this.

Can you not see that a really hot woman hitch-hiking is most likely to be the setup...?

Also, not to put you on the spot or criticize your answers too much, but I personally have always seen this "only if it was a hot girl" mentality as a form of pedastalization.

There are few kind acts I would do for a "hot girl" that I wouldn't do for an ugly guy. And this makes me feel more assured when I do kind things for women because I know it has more to do with the type of person I am than it has to do with the way they look. To each his own, though.

On other hand, I might be more likely to pick up a woman - if I didn't smell a setup, and even if she was ugly - just because I perceive a woman as more vulnerable in a situation like that. I've picked up plenty of guys hitch-hiking though too.

I grew up in a very rural area, so that may lend some perspective to my values in this area - perhaps less fear of consequence.

(07-14-2014 06:24 AM)pitt Wrote:  

f) Actually I did this one time in a DR police cell (I got arrested for no carrying an ID by the way). I probably wouldn't do it again because the guys there tried to jump on me for getting involved. This is really putting yourself at risk.

Yeah, I've done this a few times and also came close to getting hurt because of it, which I knew was a possibility going in. It's obviously a very strong possibility if you get involved in someone else's fight.

I would most definitely do it again anyways, but I'm sure there's a certain point where if the risk was great and obvious enough that I would fail to act.

Damn - the DR? In a jail cell in a foreign country may very well be one of the moments where I'd stay out of it. LOL

[pitt]

(07-15-2014 03:10 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

(07-14-2014 06:24 AM)pitt Wrote:  

c) No. I will only do it if it is a really hot woman, otherwise I would assume that it is a set up.

LOL Man, you cracked me up with this.

Can you not see that a really hot woman hitch-hiking is most likely to be the setup...?

Also, not to put you on the spot or criticize your answers too much, but I personally have always seen this "only if it was a hot girl" mentality as a form of pedastalization.

There are few kind acts I would do for a "hot girl" that I wouldn't do for an ugly guy. And this makes me feel more assured when I do kind things for women because I know it has more to do with the type of person I am than it has to do with the way they look. To each his own, though.

On other hand, I might be more likely to pick up a woman - if I didn't smell a setup, and even if she was ugly - just because I perceive a woman as more vulnerable in a situation like that. I've picked up plenty of guys hitch-hiking though too.

I grew up in a very rural area, so that may lend some perspective to my values in this area - perhaps less fear of consequence.

(07-14-2014 06:24 AM)pitt Wrote:  

f) Actually I did this one time in a DR police cell (I got arrested for no carrying an ID by the way). I probably wouldn't do it again because the guys there tried to jump on me for getting involved. This is really putting yourself at risk.

Yeah, I've done this a few times and also came close to getting hurt because of it, which I knew was a possibility going in. It's obviously a very strong possibility if you get involved in someone else's fight.

I would most definitely do it again anyways, but I'm sure there's a certain point where if the risk was great and obvious enough that I would fail to act.

Damn - the DR? In a jail cell in a foreign country may very well be one of the moments where I'd stay out of it. LOL

I think that there different studies that prove that people help others for a reason beyond pure altruism, so pure altruism doesn't really exist and usually when I am helping somebody, I am expecting to benefit from the situation. Why would I give a lift to male that I don't even know? Also, I wouldn't just hitchhike any hot woman, I will analyse the area I am and the surroundings. I am always approaching women anyway so even if she doesn't ask me for a ride I will probably just holla at her, if you call that pedestalizing women then be it lol.


Yeah I definitely regretted getting involved in that DR jail situation but it was hurting me to see a guy getting robbed and he wasn't saying shit and I knew one on one I could knock out 90% of the guys that were in that cell so I thought let me bring out the superman act. But I was lucky that they didn't even touch me, they were all scared.

[CactusCat589]

I lost my wallet at the movie theater in downtown Boston, my freshman year. I basically never lose anything, not even so much as a lone sock. I hadn't even realized it had fallen out of my pocket. A girl picked it up and caught up to me, and gave it back.

I've personally never found a lost wallet, but if I did, I would have to return it. If I saw that it belonged to an old person, a kid, a woman, a feminist, a guy whose looks I'd be jealous of, I'd still have to give it back. No fucking around and stealing some of it to charity or anything, just give it back the way I found it.

[Heathree]

I might not touch it, don't have the time to return it. My ma found a mobile phone which she came home with. I looked through the numbers to call for them to collect. When speaking on the phone, the dude even had the cheek to ask if I could come to his business premises (quite a distance away) to return. I gave him a mouthful which resulted in him coming round my residence to collect.

[R Smoov]

What I find that's fucked is how the people who would return it tend to shit on those who didn't. You guys are just as equally fucked up as the people you wouldn't associate with over a damn wallet with a couple bills in it.

[Mentavious]

You didn't earn that money so what gives you the right to take it?

[TigerMandingo]

(07-20-2014 10:59 AM)Mentavious Wrote:  

You didn't earn that money so what gives you the right to take it?

Id hate to get into a philosophical debate, but these "rights" you speak of are imaginary. We have no rights.

[CactusCat589]

(07-20-2014 10:33 AM)Rosca Wrote:  

What I find that's fucked is how the people who would return it tend to shit on those who didn't. You guys are just as equally fucked up as the people you wouldn't associate with over a damn wallet with a couple bills in it.

I wouldn't judge anyone who would just leave it where they found it. They're under no obligation to spend their valuable personal time returning it. Of course they have things going on. But outright going out of your way to steal? That's wrong. I don't care what philosophical gibberish about the nonexistence of rights anyone spouts off.

[pitt]

I remember one day asking my first girlfriend if she would betray a person for one million dollars, she told me ''she doesn't know, she may or may not do it''. Did she indirectly told me that she is actually able to do it? I think if your principles are really solid and you are a really nice person, your answer should be ''no, I wouldn't do it''. I was just questioning myself if this girl was really a nice person.

[jimukr104]

TBH after spending year's getting involved in other peoples SHIT, I would just keep walking. Won't even check it out (might be an IED or have ebola lol).

Reality, most people retrace their steps when they lose something and if left untouched the owner probably will find it. I just hope no other dude touches it.


Cash on the ground is something else. Probably blow away anyway.

[jimukr104]

(08-15-2014 12:59 PM)pitt Wrote:  

I remember one day asking my first girlfriend if she would betray a person for one million dollars, she told me ''she doesn't know, she may or may not do it''. Did she indirectly told me that she is actually able to do it? I think if your principles are really solid and you are a really nice person, your answer should be ''no, I wouldn't do it''. I was just questioning myself if this girl was really a nice person.

huh? most people will betray someone for much less.

[The Beast1]

I'd return it. No need to take the money out of it as I have enough in my own life.

I wouldn't go out of my way to return it though. They'll need to come to me.

[pitt]

(08-15-2014 01:08 PM)jimukr104 Wrote:  

(08-15-2014 12:59 PM)pitt Wrote:  

I remember one day asking my first girlfriend if she would betray a person for one million dollars, she told me ''she doesn't know, she may or may not do it''. Did she indirectly told me that she is actually able to do it? I think if your principles are really solid and you are a really nice person, your answer should be ''no, I wouldn't do it''. I was just questioning myself if this girl was really a nice person.

huh? most people will betray someone for much less.

Yes I know it but I don't want to marry someone who is capable of doing this, she should value loyalty and I want my kids to have that trait too. If she can't be loyal, doubt the kids will.

[TheSlayer]

I would return it as long as there's ID and I can hunt down the person easily. If it's only petty cash with no ID or anything then it's fair game though a large sum of money would make me uncomfortable and I would probably return that to the cops.

I haven't lost anything myself or even found a wallet but my mother did lose hers a few years ago. She came home and had to cancel all of her credit cards. The next day we got a call from a nice Asian couple and they said they would drop it off as we didn't live that far from them. They returned the wallet and every thing was intact. The credit cards were already cancelled but it did save my mom the hassle of getting a new license and worrying about her IDs. It wasn't a lot of money, only $100 or so but still.

I think a lot of this depends on your own personal experiences as well. If someone has had bad experiences they may be less likely to help others but I for one will always try to return if I find a wallet.

@pitt: You might need new friends if you can't even trust them.

[AneroidOcean]

If the wallet has identification of any sort I'd return the whole thing. I've lost my wallet with a large amount of cash in it and it was a huge pain in the ass for me, especially because the cash was a significant amount of money for me at the time (I was not a baller, I just happened to have a lot of cash on me to pay for something that was a cash transaction). You just never know by the amount of cash in a wallet if the person needs it or not and besides that, it's just downright stealing to take money that you know is someone else (and you have the ID to even pinpoint who).

Because I live by the beach I've picked up a ton of volleyballs and other equipment of people that I know or who are friend's of friends in order to return it to them. I've also picked up a lot of balls that have people's names/numbers written on them that are far away from the courts. I've also taken balls that others at the beach "found" that were obviously not theirs as they had my friend's name/number on them. I've taken them back from young kids, I've taken them from couples, I've taken them from families, and I've taken them from a mother carrying her infant son. Fuck those people. I believe maybe 10-15% of them really believe that the balls are equipment put out for the public to play with, but the rest of them are just fucking assholes who pretend to be innocent.

Everyone I've returned stuff to has been downright happy that I did save for one person and they just didn't seem to care enough and never picked up their stuff. I've had some great networking opportunities because of this. I've also returned a couple wallets this way.

Overall I say A++ (would return again)

Also, I do have everyone come to me or meet me at my convenience. No way should someone expect you to spend a lot of effort to return the things THEY lost. There is definitely onus on the person who lost the item to do everything they can to get it back from whoever was decent enough to recover the item for them.

[OMYG]

Unless it's a considerable amount of money then I see myself returning it.

[Baldwin81]

Call it moral relativism if you will, but the answer to this question would be entirely dependent on my financial situation.

Money's tight - $21.25 in your bank account tight - and your $800 rent is due in four days... You find a wallet with $1500 inside and give that shit back???

As the now-departed GManifesto would say, "Do me a favor..."

[Beyond Borders]

(07-20-2014 10:33 AM)R Smoov Wrote:  

What I find that's fucked is how the people who would return it tend to shit on those who didn't. You guys are just as equally fucked up as the people you wouldn't associate with over a damn wallet with a couple bills in it.

Oh?

On what grounds? Elaborate.

[Rush87]

I won't take anything I haven't earnt. As a man I think it's good practice not to benefit from someone else's misfortune. Without question I would hand it in. If you're in financial trouble; it's a feminine trait to resort to another man's earning to 'bail you out'.

Considering this is a forum based on self improvement; I'm surprised anyone would keep the money.

[Frank Rook]

I'd give it back.
I've lost my wallet twice in my life & in one of those instances, an old cleaning lady at a restaurant i'd frequented often, gave it back to me intact the next day. There was a few hundred in cash in there but the ID & driver's license & bank cards were the things i was anxious about losing.
I know cleaning staff hardly earn a lot so i was impressed with her honesty.

I'm not particularly religious but i do apply the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Or fuck with people & expect to be given a beat down by Mr KARMA.
Having said that, i think i'd be really tempted to keep the money & rationalize poorly about it afterwards if i was in a financially bad situation.


'As that ancient Tibetan proverb goes, 'don't start none, won't be none'.

[Sp5]

I've done it. Found a wallet on the ground with more than $200 and credit cards in it, looked at the license, did an internet search, called the home number I found with the name and address, talked to a relative of the owner in another state, left my phone number.

My satisfaction was in making the owner, a tourist, come over to my sketchy neighborhood to get it.

One of the reasons why I didn't trust my ex-brother-in-law, who was a taxi driver, was that when he moved out of an apartment I owned he left a bunch of empty wallets. I pointed the likely cause of that to my ex-wife, and of course she defended him.

[Seadog]

I would return it no questions. I've had my wallet returned once, my brother had his mailed from the US to Canada, and like others said, I firmly believed if everyone 'paid it forward' the whole world would be a lot better of a place, and I like the idea that at the end of the day, I'm contributing more to this world than taking away.

It also speaks to what kind of society do you want to live it. People screw up, some other's misfortune shouldn't be my windfall. Then since many people feel so strongly for this passive agressive theft, where do you draw the line? In the TX on the MX border I had half a bag of potting soil stolen off my patio. I mean really who the fuck does that? But I guess if I forgot to lock it up, I didn't want it anyway right?. You want to live with ppl you can't trust people around 5 lbs of dirt? In Kyoto when I was there I would see entire grocery orders delivered and left in front of people's doors. Take your pick. What if you see them drop it and don't tell them but wait for them to go? Is that OK? If forget to lock your car is it ok for someone to go through it? Going through a passed out drunk guys pockets? To me it just seems like a slippery slope, and if you ever got caught (ie in those reader's digest fake drops, they did the same thing, it was like 100 wallets with $50 in them in different cities around Canada in 1995 I think) your integrity could be shot. Not likely, but even at slim odds, mine is worth more than $100.

[HonantheBarbarian]

If you saw the person drop it, yeah
If it has picture ID, yeah
If you know whose it is (and their not a douche), yeah

If its just a folded wad of bills on the floor, or a money clip with no cards to trace to owner than its fair game. In that case I would think you would be pretty dumb not to take it.