Comments on: The Morality of the Lost Wallet http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/ Neil Kramer is a writer in Los Angeles. Citizen of the Month is his blog. Make yourself at home. Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:08:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Atomic Bombshell http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225145 Atomic Bombshell Wed, 14 May 2008 22:17:04 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225145 This is why I think Psychology is a religion in itself, or at least many times it rides the line in functioning like one. This is why I think Psychology is a religion in itself, or at least many times it rides the line in functioning like one.

]]> By: melanie http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225140 melanie Wed, 14 May 2008 20:19:31 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225140 hey neil, can i borrow 5000? yea. i want a moped. hey neil, can i borrow 5000?

yea. i want a moped.

]]> By: mp http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225139 mp Wed, 14 May 2008 19:42:36 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225139 When I lose my imaginary wallet with $5000 in it..I'm going to you first to find it. When I lose my imaginary wallet with $5000 in it..I’m going to you first to find it.

]]> By: Jane http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225126 Jane Wed, 14 May 2008 14:58:11 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225126 The funny-peculiar thing is that something very similar happened to my daughter a couple of years later. She found a woman's organizer in a mall parking lot. It had a few bucks in it, and her ID. Just like I did, Lis tracked the woman down. The woman railed at her for not walking back to the mall and giving it to security, then asked if the money was still in it, then insisted that Lis drive to a town 15 miles away and drop it off at the police station, because it was somehow Lis's fault for not returning the book to the mall. Oy. Is it any wonder that sometimes it's easier to like people in theory but not so much in real life? The funny-peculiar thing is that something very similar happened to my daughter a couple of years later. She found a woman’s organizer in a mall parking lot. It had a few bucks in it, and her ID. Just like I did, Lis tracked the woman down. The woman railed at her for not walking back to the mall and giving it to security, then asked if the money was still in it, then insisted that Lis drive to a town 15 miles away and drop it off at the police station, because it was somehow Lis’s fault for not returning the book to the mall.

Oy. Is it any wonder that sometimes it’s easier to like people in theory but not so much in real life?

]]> By: Anonymous City Girl http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225107 Anonymous City Girl Wed, 14 May 2008 11:16:43 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225107 Jane - what a sad life that woman must have. Jane - what a sad life that woman must have.

]]> By: Anonymous City Girl http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225106 Anonymous City Girl Wed, 14 May 2008 11:14:16 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225106 Empathy would be my motivator to return the wallet. Not some overwhelming guilt or fear of karma or G-d, but the simple thought, "what if it lost my wallet?" Empathy would be my motivator to return the wallet. Not some overwhelming guilt or fear of karma or G-d, but the simple thought, “what if it lost my wallet?”

]]> By: Citizen of the Month » Imaginary Paris on $5000 a Day http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225103 Citizen of the Month » Imaginary Paris on $5000 a Day Wed, 14 May 2008 08:57:52 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225103 [...] is the famed city of French existentialism and moral relativism.  I am comfortable here using the $5000 that I found in that imaginary wallet yesterday.  Sure, I COULD have returned the wallet to the owner, but what’s going to happen [...] [...] is the famed city of French existentialism and moral relativism.  I am comfortable here using the $5000 that I found in that imaginary wallet yesterday.  Sure, I COULD have returned the wallet to the owner, but what’s going to happen [...]

]]> By: Jeannette http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225101 Jeannette Wed, 14 May 2008 05:51:40 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225101 Id keep the money. I have no morals. Im too young for that shit. Id keep the money. I have no morals. Im too young for that shit.

]]> By: Neil http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225099 Neil Wed, 14 May 2008 05:24:24 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225099 Jane -- that is a infuriating story. I would just hate humanity after that! Jane — that is a infuriating story. I would just hate humanity after that!

]]> By: Jane http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/05/13/the-morality-of-the-lost-wallet/#comment-225098 Jane Wed, 14 May 2008 04:35:39 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=3000#comment-225098 I found a wallet belonging to a California college student, with a Montana ID, at a Utah rest stop. There was over $200 in it, and no phone number. I live in MN. It took me a couple of hours to track down a relative of hers in Montana and get the girl's phone number. She didn't sound excited or even very happy to hear from me when she called back two days later. Okay, I thought, not everybody is emotive. I tell her I'll send her wallet back in a priority mail box. I did, and it cost me almost $6. A couple of weeks went by. No call to say she'd received it, no thank you note (are Jews the only people left that write thank you notes? Okay, I guess that's a different subject) no word at all. Anyway, I finally call her again, and she accuses me of STEALING her wallet! WTF??!?!??!?!? It was a surreal experience. She actually believed that I somehow stole her wallet from her somewhere on the road, and then got a guilty conscience and returned it. WEIRD! So really. Now I don't know if I would or wouldn't. Okay, I would. But I'd feel bitter about it! I found a wallet belonging to a California college student, with a Montana ID, at a Utah rest stop. There was over $200 in it, and no phone number. I live in MN.

It took me a couple of hours to track down a relative of hers in Montana and get the girl’s phone number. She didn’t sound excited or even very happy to hear from me when she called back two days later. Okay, I thought, not everybody is emotive.

I tell her I’ll send her wallet back in a priority mail box. I did, and it cost me almost $6.

A couple of weeks went by. No call to say she’d received it, no thank you note (are Jews the only people left that write thank you notes? Okay, I guess that’s a different subject) no word at all. Anyway, I finally call her again, and she accuses me of STEALING her wallet! WTF??!?!??!?!?

It was a surreal experience. She actually believed that I somehow stole her wallet from her somewhere on the road, and then got a guilty conscience and returned it. WEIRD!

So really. Now I don’t know if I would or wouldn’t. Okay, I would. But I’d feel bitter about it!

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