# Would you join organized crime? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2011, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904 "2011-02-28T11:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/21 "2011-03-01T06:35:31Z")
God no, I’d be constantly scared that Snoop and Chris from The Wire would turn up on my doorstep any minute and tell me it was time to go with them. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/22 "2011-03-01T07:14:41Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > After three years of temp jobs and no insurance, I’d go for it. I think you’d be greatly disappointed if you became a criminal for the pension and health plan. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/23 "2011-03-01T07:28:26Z")
Hell, no! A statute of limitations ago, my peer group was largely comprised of indoor gardeners. I knew some who saw the appeal in being part of a syndicate. (To be all genteel about it.) I tried to put as much distance between me and them as possible (of the “you don’t even know where I _live_” sort) because that shit is toxic. My fear was that someone they knew would know about me and a bunch of thugs would come in and take everything I had. In every case (sample size: 3, with three different associations) their “friends” turned on them and took everything _they_ had, first. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. (Or just stay down and display an improbable and striking combination of purples and yellows, I forget which.) Which actually served them right, the venal jerks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/24 "2011-03-01T08:10:55Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > my peer group was largely comprised of indoor gardeners. I knew some who saw the appeal in being part of a syndicate. Dignan was trying to get you to join Mr Henry’s gang? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/25 "2011-03-01T14:53:05Z")
I wouldn’t want to work in organized crime, because my coworkers would be the types of people who were attracted to careers in organized crime. Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/26 "2011-03-01T15:17:15Z")
The couple real life mafia guys I knew, both deceased of natural causes, lived a lifestyle approximately on the level of a small town doctor or lawyer. They also had to look over their shoulders for the law a lot more than your typical small town doctor or lawyer. Also seemed to put a lot more time into making the money and never got to retire. For that lifestyle why not just be a small town doctor or lawyer? I’ve known bunches of people involved in drug gangs. None of them had any real money. Lots of them did prison time. Some few ended up dead. Not something I see as an attractive career track. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/27 "2011-03-01T21:59:38Z")
I’m not very organized. Random senseless crime is probably more my cup of tea. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/28 "2011-03-01T22:12:53Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Dignan was trying to get you to join Mr Henry’s gang? My Paraguayan girlfriend convinced me not to. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/29 "2011-03-01T22:19:05Z")
Nope. I’m not one for waking up next to severed equine heads. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/30 "2011-03-01T22:23:46Z")
Crimes are easy to commit but not as easy to get away with, and the longer you’re in the greater the odds of the law (or some dangerous pissed-off people) catching up with you. I could maybe go for a one-time “score” but it would depend entirely on the risk/reward ratio. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/31 "2011-03-01T22:28:57Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > But hey, if the mob boss wants me to download the new Justin Bieber album for him, I’ll be willing to get my hands dirty. If the price is right, of course. There is no price high enough for me to dirty my soul downloading Justin Bieber. That’s downright evil. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/32 "2011-03-01T23:14:58Z")
Not in a million years. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/33 "2011-03-01T23:34:05Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Hell, no! > > A statute of limitations ago, my peer group was largely comprised of indoor gardeners. I knew some who saw the appeal in being part of a syndicate. (To be all genteel about it.) This was so genteel I had to re-read it. The first sentence had me visualizing Angela Lansbury. > [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I’m nowhere near savvy enough to take part in organized crime, nor am I a big bruiser guy. I wouldn’t last a month. On the plus side, the odds are pretty good that they’ll get confused like everybody else and come a-looking for **Argent Towers**. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/34 "2011-03-02T00:56:27Z")
Nope. I’m not street smart, or anything like that, and I’m also a big chicken. Another factor is that I’m female, and organized crime is mostly…well…male. Yeah, there are girl gangs and such, but even then, I’d be waaaaaay too afraid of sexual violence to join one. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/35 "2011-03-02T01:16:38Z")
As somebody with a distant desire of joining the entertainment industry, I would try my best to maintain cordial relations with such characters, but I would have to politely decline an offer to join the ranks. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/36 "2011-03-02T01:57:39Z")
How do you define organized crime? A lot of business in communist countries was conducted in a manner at odds with the law of the land, but it was also necessary to get anything done and improved most peoples standards of living (not to mention could technically be considered a political act to fight the system). Yes, I’m guilty of that, but I was a freedom fighter (who really liked good toilet paper and chocolate). ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/37 "2011-03-02T02:13:38Z")
There is absolutely nothing appealing to me about that kind of life. I crave security and stability, not money and power. Definitely would not put up with Mig getting involved either, and he’s had invitations. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/38 "2011-03-02T02:18:22Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > As somebody with a distant desire of joining the entertainment industry… As somebody already in the entertainment industry said, I wouldn’t join any club that would take me as a member. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/39 "2011-03-02T02:23:09Z")
If I could be a classy _moustache pete_ kind of criminal, absolutely. Being cool comes before morals, as long as you can be really really cool. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904/40 "2011-03-03T19:15:25Z")
It depends. Are you talking Mafia or Wall Street? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-join-organized-crime/572904.md?page=3)