"In fact, some researchers consider the 1800s the “Golden Age of Schemes” during which the term “confidence man” was coined, today shortened to con man or con artist."
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Historians have argued about whether or not we're living through a Second Golden Age (we are), but I think "Golden Age of Schemes II: Scheme Harder" is a strong contender, too – another synonym to help vary the text a bit.
sep 1, 2025, 8:11 pm • 5 0 • view
I knew that "flim-flam man" was common in the US already at the start of the Republic so I did a bit of digging. Came across this chart of the usage of 'flim-flam' over time, which shows a significant uptick toward the end of P.T. Barnum's life, and an even steeper rise during Trump's lifetime.
sep 1, 2025, 9:07 pm • 1 0 • view