Odd behavior.

[maeveenroute]

Any psychology-inclined people out there feel like tackling this question?

Why is it that we ask complete strangers to watch our stuff in a public place and then walk off as though that actually makes our belongings safeFor all I know, the friendly-looking undergrad who I ask to keep an eye on my laptop while I run to the washroom may have had an

Comments

[frightful_elk]

You see someone in a similar situation to you and identify them as similar to yourself? I think most people arn't dishonest, and it would be poor luck to ask the wrong person/

[cktraveler]

That happened to me last night -- I was asked to watch a vendor's table at the con while he retrieved something from his car. Being an honest person I did so, but I could have stolen any number of things right up to and including his fancy laptop.

Now, on the one hand I am distinctive in appearance; he might have thought he could describe me easily. But I was also the nearest person, and I was playing in a game that was starting very shortly thereafter and didn't have time to tell him that. (Of course I would have been late for the game rather than abandon the table!)

Weird.

[nineinchlovely]

I employed this tactic yesterday before Bear’s show, because I was schlepping stuff and had to take a visit to the very cruisy bathroom in our student center (all utilitarian and only mildly for ethnographic experience)…except I went into the fac/staff lab and requested a random stranger/fellow employee to watch my stuff. Only mildly sketchy. Yes. Good to meet you again the other night.

[maeveenroute]

Good to meet you again the other night.

Likewise! Bear should come to town more often, so we can run into each other more. ;c)

(also, apologies for the scuffy boots in the userpic; I realize they might offend your professional sensibilities, but short of Photoshop, there's no helping matters. *grin*)

[nineinchlovely]

nope. they don't offend me in the slightest. scuffy boots are a sure sign of boot lovin' so that can't be too bad. ;)

[isolt]

Hi there *waves*

I have found you via fnordian and it seems like we should know each other, as I also do language and gender/sex stuff.

[maeveenroute]

Welcome aboard! (Oddly enough, your pictures-of-you userpics look naggingly familiar. I'm going to have to figure out why... *smile*)

I haven't done that since my senior year of high school...

[anonymous]

...when my beloved backpack was stolen when I did exactly that.