# How dishonest does this make me? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689 "2006-04-14T19:07:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/21 "2006-04-17T14:31:18Z")
When you think of others’ honesty, you always think of what they would do when there really was no chance of being caught, right? A number of people have said you did the right thing “eventually”. I think you did better than that. You coughed it up before anyone saw. And that counts for a fair bit. Now you’ve been chewing your own leg off about it you’ll do a bit better next time. Soon you’ll be saying “but that’s less than what you quoted me over the phone, is that a mistake?” and then you’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/22 "2006-04-17T23:40:08Z")
I’ve probably encountered this situation a couple of dozen times at work and in real life. If it was something that was identifiable, I turned it in every time, sometimes going so far as to call the owner. Loose cash, though, went right into my pocket. When I swept up empty cigarette packs, I always felt for forgotten joints. I kept those, too. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/23 "2006-04-18T00:53:30Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] Isn’t this a mite simplistic? No distinction between telling your wife you like her new hairstyle, as opposed to having an affair? Never an appropriate application of “situational ethics?” I freely accept the good doctor’s diagnosis that “rigorous honesty may not be my default setting.” But hey - at least I’m upfront about my dishonesty! Gotta count for something, no? [/QUOTE] I agree with this. I once got handed change of a fifty instead of a five at a McDonalds drive-thru. I couldn’t believe my luck, and had started speeding off when I remembered that as far as I knew, the underpaid McDonald’s workers are required to pay back any discrepancy in the cash register at the end of the shift, so I went back there and handed it over. That means I’m not purely heartless, but I’m not strictly honest either. If I could have gotten away with $45 from McDonald’s general revenue, I’d have done so. ---
**Author:** ![wnorthr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/24 "2006-04-18T22:50:52Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] I agree with this. I once got handed change of a fifty instead of a five at a McDonalds drive-thru. I couldn’t believe my luck, and had started speeding off when I remembered that as far as I knew, the underpaid McDonald’s workers are required to pay back any discrepancy in the cash register at the end of the shift, so I went back there and handed it over. That means I’m not purely heartless, but I’m not strictly honest either. If I could have gotten away with $45 from McDonald’s general revenue, I’d have done so. [/QUOTE] You also have to admit that if the watch were a Rolex a lot fewer people would be turning it than if it were something worth $100. Honesty definitely comes in degrees. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/25 "2006-04-18T23:07:43Z")
Which is kind of sad. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/26 "2006-04-19T01:41:09Z")
You did the right thing in spite of the fact that many would not in the same situation. High marks. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/27 "2006-04-19T15:42:03Z")
Watches are often very personal things, even if not particularly expensive. As such it would be really bad not to turn one in that you found. Wrong change from a casheer is far less a problem, after all errors like that go both ways, and the cash is annonymous values in a buisness money account, not someones 21st birthday preasent from a favorite Uncle. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/28 "2006-04-19T16:42:54Z")
Depends why you turned it in. You decided _not to keep it_…_for various reasons_. Weird phrasing. Why’d you decide not to keep it? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/29 "2006-04-19T19:37:56Z")
[QUOTE=bup] Depends why you turned it in. You decided _not to keep it_…_for various reasons_. Weird phrasing. Why’d you decide not to keep it? [/QUOTE] Weird phrasing was intentional, to reflect the fact that my decision-making process was not a simple black/white thing. As was suggested, perhaps the best thing would have been if I picked it up and immediately turned it in or posted a notice. But I admit I did not. The main reason I eventually turned it in was essentially that returning it was “the right thing to do.” If I had lost it, I would wish it were returned. And I’d like to think of myself - and have others think of me - as the kind of guy who “does the right thing.” I don’t know if it was more that I’d feel good about turning it in, or that I’d feel bad about keeping it. But I readily admit that it took me more than an instant to reach that conclusion. OTOH - it was a really nice watch. A much better version of the cheap watch I wear. With a whole bunch of functions I would use regularly while running. I tried it on - it felt REALLY good. But I think it was also part of a heart rate monitor set-up, so the guy who lost it presumably had the strap part that would be useless without the watch, And since it was in the locker room I frequent, there’s a chance I might know the guy, at least recognize him. Wouldn’t have been a consideration had I found it on the street. It crossed my mind whether I would be able to wear/enjoy it with the possibility that someone in the locker room might see it and suspect that it was his. But I considered if it was sufficiently anonymous, or if waiting a while would lessen the chances of that happening. And even tho my current watch is a cheap old thing, it does what I need, so I didn’t really NEED the other watch. All of those thoughts and probably some others crossed my mind in the 2-3 hours between my lunchtime run and the train trip home. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/30 "2006-04-19T20:24:34Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] The main reason I eventually turned it in was essentially that returning it was “the right thing to do.” [/QUOTE] Then I’d say you’re mainly honest. If turning it in was about morals, or his feelings, rather than you deciding you didn’t _want it_ afterall, then yeah, that’s honest. You never really decided to keep it, either - only decided to delay the decision. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/31 "2006-04-20T15:46:29Z")
My husband lost a rolex watch while playing paintball. That was about 18 years ago. It is still one of his biggest regrets. My mother lost a watch when she was on vacation. Every watch she had since, did not measure up to her “perfect watch.” Every so often, I would check ebay to see if anything even similar came up. Years I have been doing this. One day, I log in, do a search, and with 7 minutes left to go, there is THE watch. I ended up buying what was originally about a $1500 watch for less than $20 with shipping. The first jewelry gift my husband gave me was a Seiko kinetic watch. I will repair it until I die. It may have just been a neato watch to you. But watches are very often, sentimental items. Thank you for returning it, for whatever reasons. I hope karma brings you a new shiny watch in a GOOD way. ---
**Author:** ![wnorthr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/32 "2006-04-20T23:30:23Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast] I hope karma brings you a new shiny watch in a GOOD way. [/QUOTE] But Karma doesn’t have hands! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689/33 "2006-04-20T23:55:56Z")
[QUOTE=wnorthr] But Karma doesn’t have hands! 🙂 [/QUOTE] Duh, it could be a digital watch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dishonest-does-this-make-me/352689.md?page=1)