The Mafia?

[scotspine1]

I read books.

.

 

well done.

 

seriously though, it's very easy for council employees/councillors to carry out the type of low level corruption/favouritism being discussed in this thread, they mostly get away with it because it doesn't exactly fall within the realms of out and out illegality. Also they'd have to be incredibly stupid to get caught so it's not really heard about or reported on widely in the media.

 

There are however some very serious cases that occasionally come to light.

 

BBC News - Edinburgh Council workers suspended over fraud inquiry

 

 

 

 

.

[David Goss]

There's no corruption, to believe there isn't, your either stupid, brain dead or corrupt yourself

 

never a truer word spoken!

As much as I agree with Dean, I also agree with Tony on many points as well. Corrupt or not, for me the only problem I have with the AA is price. If I am ever forced to become a member because I won't get work otherwise then I would be sorely tempted to find me another profession. I think they do a good job and try to raise the industry standards to push out the cowboys BUT they are going about it in such a way that they are also pushing out the small guy trying to do his honest best, or at least alienating him from the bigger money makers.

This world and it's powerful people we're never in favour of the little guy anyway and it will always be so. Big up to the little guy making a go of it against all odds

[Amelanchier]

True enough Tim. I don't really think there is much to disagree on really; corruption happens - I just think it happens less often than others do. Giving examples and sharing experiences can't provide us with a definitive answer because the claims are being made on a larger scale than the limited evidence can support. As the man said, "One swallow does not a summer make...".

[Fungus]

Bottom line - people see consipracy everywhere, it's human psychology to ascribe motive to a chain of events and to see patterns where there aren't any (or even to berate inanimate objects for their malevolance).

 

I read books.

 

Being a clinical psychologist, I have the following question : what books does this "bottom line" statement on human behaviour come from or is this your private theory on human psychology ?

[butler]

never a truer word spoken!

As much as I agree with Dean, I also agree with Tony on many points as well. Corrupt or not, for me the only problem I have with the AA is price. If I am ever forced to become a member because I won't get work otherwise then I would be sorely tempted to find me another profession. I think they do a good job and try to raise the industry standards to push out the cowboys BUT they are going about it in such a way that they are also pushing out the small guy trying to do his honest best, or at least alienating him from the bigger money makers.

This world and it's powerful people we're never in favour of the little guy anyway and it will always be so. Big up to the little guy making a go of it against all odds

 

The point is the big guy is just the little guy who not only had a go at it but succeeded

[easy-lift guy]

The point is the big guy is just the little guy who not only had a go at it but succeeded

 

Very true, did you read that in a book?, or we're you just lucky:sneaky2:

easy-lift guy

[butler]

Very true, did you read that in a book?, or we're you just lucky:sneaky2:

easy-lift guy

 

Just got a sliver spoon wedged up my arse.........

[Amelanchier]

Being a clinical psychologist, I have the following question : what books does this "bottom line" statement on human behaviour come from or is this your private theory on human psychology ?

 

I based my statement on the identified phenomena of confirmation bias, illusory correlation, cognitive dissonance and self-deception decribed in the works of Daniel Dennett, Stephen Pinker and Robert Trivers. They are not psychologists themselves but do a suffiently robust review of the literature in preparing arguements within their work for my purposes as a non-specialist. Especially suitable, I would argue for allowing superficial comments to be made on a tree work discussion forum.

 

As you are apparently qualified to do so, perhaps you could explain whether it is reasonable to claim that sometimes people see patterns where there are none.

[easy-lift guy]

Just got a sliver spoon wedged up my arse.........

 

LOL:thumbup1:

easy-lift guy

[David Goss]

The point is the big guy is just the little guy who not only had a go at it but succeeded

 

If only that was the case every time then IMO we would have a lot less of this type of discussion and a lot more getting on with it. A lot of the "big guys" lets call them were either born into it or got to where they are by knowing the right people. These are the ones that are the problem in my eyes as they didn't do the work to get there so they don't know what they are doing while "there".

Mon eh little guy!