All thumbs: Cutting corners and taking advantage of others is as American as apple pie

摘要

ONE of my first jobs was working in the produce section of a long-gone supermarket in Brooklyn, N.Y., back when it was gritty and unfashionable. Among other tasks, I operated an old analog scale, marking weights and prices. I'd heard of the "thumb on the scale" method of cheating customers, but for me it was a reminder to be careful when weighing people's fruits and vegetables.