While I'd seen the missing dollar problem before, I think I have a new appreciation for it now. I seem to recall puzzle books presenting this problem, but even when they present the solution, they present it in terms of "here's where the missing dollar is". But as you, Wikipedia, and Paulos point out, the whole problem is that the dollar is only "missing" relative to an invalid comparison.

So, to solve the problem by finding a missing dollar is to fail to learn from it.

This riddle made me remember reading about how beginning magicians are very nervous in their first public performances, since some of their tricks involve misdirecting the audience by openly lying... they learn to be more comfortable once they find out how easily the audience will pretty much accept whatever false statements they make.

It makes me wonder how dangerous magicians can become in their regular lives.