The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It Every Time book club questions

1. 1.

   Konnikova argues that the targets of con artists are not specifically stupid or greedy. What does that suggest about your own vulnerability to sophisticated deception?

2. 2.

   The con exploits the same mechanisms that make trust and cooperation possible. Is there a cost to becoming more protective of trust, and what would that cost be?

3. 3.

   She describes the rapid trust formation that con artists exploit. What cues do you use to establish trust quickly, and which of them could be faked most easily?

4. 4.

   The convincer works partly through sunk cost — once you have invested, you are committed. Can you think of a belief or relationship in your life where sunk cost is maintaining a commitment that evidence no longer supports?

5. 5.

   Con artists are often described as exceptionally empathetic and skilled at understanding what people need to hear. What is the relationship between empathy and manipulation?

6. 6.

   Konnikova shows that many victims blame themselves and do not report fraud. What would reduce this barrier, and who has the incentive to build those structures?

7. 7.

   She argues that intelligence and education offer less protection than we assume. Which protective factors are actually reliable, if any?

8. 8.

   The book describes the grief of discovering a long-term con — grief for a relationship that turned out to be entirely constructed. How does that compare to grief for genuine relationships that end?

9. 9.

   Many con artists end up as repeat offenders and are compelled to keep running cons even when they no longer need the money. What is the psychology behind that compulsion?

10. 10.

    The best cons, Konnikova argues, work because the mark believes they are the one getting away with something. Where does that dynamic appear in fraud, politics, or ordinary social life?

11. 11.

    After reading this book, what change in your own behavior or practices, if any, do you think would actually reduce your vulnerability to sophisticated deception?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.