Do you ever feel slimey about something you did? [View All]

[demgurl]

Within the last week I did a gig for a marketing research company. They asked me vague questions and then offered me around $150 for being at their disposal for a day. The gig included meals and the cash at the end of the day.

I went in and as it turns out we, the focus group, listened to a bunch of lawyers for a trial and had to give verdicts. (Can't be much more specific as I signed a nondisclosure form) I will say that the people holding the mock trial were not the plaintiffs and I sided with the plaintiffs for damages, etc.....

As it turns out, the lawyers were trying to get a read on the trial situation to bolster their arguments and try to come out on top. That is their job. Fine. I hate that in the end I was actually helping the people who I felt were in the wrong. Then again, a little over 3/4 of the "jury" felt the plaintiffs were in the right and they should be rewarded money. So perhaps, after the mock trial, we will have forced the lawyers to settle the case out of court. They came in poking and prodding us trying to figure out what wording it would have taken for us to let off the defendants.

None of us were told what it was about before we went in. And given the evidence I am astounded that some people felt the plaintiffs had no case at all. I kind of lumped them in with Bush supporters. Some of them found the defendants non-guilty just because they did not like the plaintiff!!!! I just kind of feel weird about possibly helping people try to get off who I feel are definitely guilty. I did manage to sway a few people who at first wanted to vote not guilty so at least there is that. I bet the lawyers are happy I am not on that jury. However, I hope I have not helped bolster their case and let them see hurdles that they will now be able to try and overcome before the trial.

Who the lawyers represented was kept quiet until right before we left for the day so I had no way of knowing who was in charge or who I was helping. I do feel kind of slimey though.