I wonder what you think (I am soliciting your opinions):

Concern has been expressed today about how adequately I am describing conditions of life and commerce on the contemporary carnival lot. The person (a professional with rock-solid credentials) who expressed them may have annoyed me almost as badly as does the fellow who has led me to avoid the Yahoo forum, but he did have quite a valid point underlying it all: it's far from accurate to conflate the "carny as con man" norm of 50 years ago with the "carny as straightforward deliverer of amusement" of today. I quite agree.

Accordingly, I have written a preface to my several online pages that describe the carnival biz by means of its lingo - this is a first draft, I'd appreciate comments:

"This 'carny lingo dictionary' makes no distinction between the way things were in the past and the way they are now. Here the old crooked carnival (with games in which you could be played until you literally lost a fortune) is mixed right in with the modern carnival (with games you’ll still rarely or never win, unless they’re 'every player wins a prize' hanky-panks [q.v.].)

"It has been pointed out, by those whose credentials are unimpeachable, that there was a time when carnies proudly earned their reputations as cheaters and unabashed crooks. It has also been pointed out (also by people who know first-hand) that the carnival no longer has any need to cheat the customer, for workers to sleep under the trailer in the mud and shower under a cold-water hose, to promise the world for the price of a ticket while delivering little or nothing. Those days are gone.

"Except where they’re not. In some places, with some people, old habits die hard.

"So as you read about the behind-the-scenes culture of the former and present carnival, with language unsorted by era, don’t look on this "dictionary" as a comprehensive guide to life on the lot today."

As with any tradition, there are some who stick to the old ways. As with any tradition, there are some who do not.

Of those who con and steal, some admit it, and some don't. Some are rapacious, cannibalistic, and do not care who they take in. We have a long tradition of being proud of fooling marks, taking them for everything we can, of showing how smart WE are, and how stupid marks are. It's a culture where outsmarting is the primary social value and goal. They target everybody, marks and those in the industry.

Our advertising and performances often reflect that. Our business models reflect that. "Did you see what so-and-so did last year? He made so much money." And it spreads to all the others.

But then, there are some who believe in giving good value for an honestly spent and earned dollar.

"A Thief will get ahead for a little while, but sooner then later, he will be comin around wantin to borrow a Fin"

Poor Ole Charlie
PoPcorn vendor I knew (deceased)

Or gas money.

It's called a "ding" for a reason.