Why did this ever work?

[Rick Nekieta]

I doubt this is *as* common these days, but back in the day people under 21 had *some* level of success standing outside of liquor stores and having adults buy their liquor on the condition that they could keep some or all of the change. How was this even marginally successful? I'd imagine of the 1 out of 10 that didn't say fuck of, 9 out of 10 of them would just pocket the money and laugh at the teenager(s). The only reliable hookup would be an older brother or similar, someone who still has legitimate reason to be adjacent to teenage circles while still having genuine concern for the teenager in question. How did this *ever* work enough to make it a standard practice? We just sent the most convincing of our peer group out with a fake ID and hoped for the best. Trusting a stranger seems like it would flop far more often than succeed, but outcomes say otherwise. Can anyone explain this?

 

[Neodanthril]

White people are naturally altruistic

 

[We Are The Witches]

I don't think it's that hard to imagine.

Some guy that doesn't really care for the health of these teenagers, yet is sympathetic to them in their mild & early alcoholism (like they themselves were at that age), and a quick X something bucks.

"Give me the money, I'll buy some, keep the change and take one can/bottle for me on my way home; easiest monday of the week."

 

[Chadikus Maximus]

High trust society

 

[stares at error messages]

Back in my day we just stole from our parents, and if they'd ask, we'd say they were drunk and drank more than they thought.

 

[Jason Wynn]

It’s who you know.

My younger brother and his friends are roughly 4 years younger than I am. I used to buy them beer when they were 17-18. Only stipulation was if they get caught with it, don’t rat me out and I get to keep a few bottles for myself.

 

[Ultrapenguin]

It probably worked in the past because everyone in society wasn't expected to be a spiritual nigger as a rule and there were these concepts like "integrity" and "dignity", and therefore for an adult, if some kids were trying to get booze and you wanted to be nice, you'd help them out and wouldn't consider pocketing their money due to them being children and you not being a spiritual nigger. What kind of absolute bottom of the barrel gutter nigger would steal some petty amount of money from teenagers who are asking you for a favor?

It was never an issue for me but I recall friends who had success just asking older dudes to buy them tobacco or alcohol, and none of them over stole my friends' money.