I think I'm gullible and susceptible to being taken advantage of...

[Writer]

I'm not sure why I think this, but it sort of occurred to me this evening.

Or is it that I simply have enough people in my life who are willing to lie to me, and therefore I'm simply dealing with deceit?

Does this question make sense?

I'm not suffering or anything... it was just a thought that occurred to me.

Or should I simply fall back on that old adage: "Fool me once, shame on you... etc."

[KitchenWitch]

1. It is a balancing act between wanting to trust human nature and needing to protect oneself.

:hug:

[SPKrazy]

2. fall back on the old adage

and stay vigilant

:hi:

:hug:

[Ptah]

3. Don't fall

[bridgit]

4. Lady, I consider you a rock & fount of common knowledge compared to the flakes I see here abouts...

But on the other hand...I can relate :hi:

[Writer]

5. Wow... well, thank you

:)

[Heidi]

8. "Flakes"?????? Are you callin' me out, bridgit?

:rofl:

:hug: :loveya:

[bridgit]

9. Oh no, Dear, perish the thought, 'flakes' are seen blowing on the wind this way & that...

:spray: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hug:----------->:yourock: that's much, much different :rofl:

[DS1]

12. Flakes?

That sounds awful close to Crackers to me.

Do we have to bring in Dog the Bounty Hunter to explain to you all why such language is a bad idea?

[Heidi]

14. "Some of my best friends are flakes,

so it can't possibly be a slur." :rofl: :spray:

Hey, DS1! How was your Halloween? :hi:

[DS1]

15. It's been great

I spent the night admiring my good teeth and the positive effect on my resale value

[Heidi]

17. You party animal, you.

:rofl:

[bridgit]

18. "Some of my best friends are flakes"??? Are *you* callin' *me* out, Heidi?

Oh, oh...oh I'm sorry, I see: one needs straight teeth and a resale value to be your best friend. That's fine dear, it's been fun...I think :yoiks: Suzy Snowflake

[Heidi]

19. This may come as a surprise to DS1,

but he's not really my best friend. I mean, I like him alright and he has good teeth and all, but I just don't think he's flakey enough for my taste. :P

Now, come 'ere and give Pollyanna a hug, Suzy Snowflake. :hug:

[Raejeanowl]

6. Read My Signature n/t

[lligrd]

7. From The Posts I Have Read

you don't fit any of the options given. That, or you have fooled me and that doesn't happen often. Whatever happened, I hope you recover quickly.

[raccoon]

10. I think sometimes I am too. I can relate.

I don't get it...in a way, I'm too trusting, and yet, I have a trust issue. :shrug:

[Inchworm]

11. I'm a meathead in this arena too

I usually do not do that whole "Fool me once, shame on you..." thing until it is Fool me one hundred and sixty-nine times, shame on you... :dunce:

:hi:

[unpossibles]

13. in that case, I have a business venture you may be interested in....

just kidding. I don't think you are naive or gullible or anything, you just want to trust humanity the way many of us do. I find that a lot of times (not always) the people who are impossible to fool often tend to be schemers themselves; they are always assuming someone is trying to rip them off because frankly they do it too.

Again, it's not always true but often is.

I have the same problem sometimes. I tend to not hold grudges and to give everyone a shot, which means sometimes I get burned. The cynic in me - and experience - makes it not happen too often, but it happens, and the trick is to learn from it without totally hardening your heart. I try to strike a balance to generally trust people at face value, but to also not let them have an opportunity to abuse that trust.

Listen to your "little voice" - it often knows what to do. If someone makes you wonder or doubt their sincerity, give them a little space: just enough so they either can't take advantage of you, and if they are sincere they will often prove it by making some effort. I've learned that trusting my instincts/conscience has helped me a lot to maintain that balance between trusting and taken advantage of.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. If you send me twenty thousand dollars for my needed surgery, I'll send you some herbs to fix that.

Speaking personally, I think it's better to err on the side of generous gullibility than stinginess.

But, not to the point that it becomes dangerous.

Best wishes to you in your dilemma and your thinking! I hope you can find a place to draw a line.