Pathological Liars

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George Santos

George Santos

Unless you’ve sworn off the news entirely (not a bad idea at times), it’s likely you’ve come across the bizarre tale of George Santos (if that’s his real name). This fellow is accused of lying his way into the House of Representatives which, apparently, is not a crime per se, unless you consider it criminal to defraud thousands of voters of their franchise. Some of his political apologists (they are few) claim this guy merely “embellished” his resume, which is a jaw-dropping euphemism. The hard part is finding any claims about his background that aren’t outright fabrications.

Despite being unmasked by reputable news organizations and the odd absence of cries of “foul” directed at the media from the political peanut gallery, Mr. Whoever-He-Is recently stated his intention to serve out his term in Congress. Even GOP leaders in his district called on him to hang it up. While most of us, were we in his position, would be embarrassed and ashamed, if not afraid to show ourselves in public, this guy seems just fine with his avalanche of deceit. Photos of him sitting smugly in the House chambers, seemingly undisturbed by what most of us would consider public shaming on steroids, begs the question. Is this guy mentally ill or what?

Understandably, Santos has been branded a “pathological liar.” What is this condition exactly? Is it a mental illness? First off, you won’t find this term in the DSM-5, the diagnostic manual shrinks use to label mental illnesses. It may belong there, but the dearth of research into this behavior leaves it an open question. Currently, it is viewed as a behavioral tendency emerging in tandem with other mental issues, such as sociopathy, borderline personality or narcissism. How common? There are few studies of prevalence, but one found 13% of subjects self-identified as pathological liars.

Do You Lie a Lot?

What separates pathological lying from the garden variety? One recent study defined it as, “constantly telling five or more lies in a period of 24 hours, every day, for longer than six months.” This seems an arbitrary metric, but the idea is that these folks lie a lot, consistently, and over long periods. In other words, they take something the rest of us do occasionally and make it a lifestyle. It’s no surprise that all of us lie, even if just by omission (not saying what’s true rather than saying what’s false). Our reasons for being dishonest vary but often incorporate a desire to satisfy some need, navigate an uncomfortable social situation or avoid an unpleasant consequence. People get punished for being honest all the time, prompting some to lie, directly or by omission, to protect themselves from critical, gotcha! people.

What we know with some confidence is that pathological liars do the following:

• Lie indiscriminately about a wide range of topics. With Santos, this included his genealogy, educational background, job history, charitable activities and criminal record, to name a few.
• Are not deterred from lying by the fear of getting caught. In interviews and public statements, Santos was brazened and unapologetic in his prevarications, exhibiting a “So what?” demeanor.
• Continue to lie even when unmasked. If exposed, most folks would express remorse and pledge to turn over a new leaf, but pathological liars stay the course.
• Experience a “rush” when they get away with deception. This is true primarily with those who are also sociopathic or narcissistic, meaning devoid of guilt or remorse and full of self-aggrandizement. It’s a way they assert their self-defined power, cunning and intelligence.

Some mental health experts assert that pathological liars spew their BS compulsively, without conscious intent and for no obvious perceived benefit to them. While that may be true in individual cases, in general, I disagree. Just as telling the truth is purposeful (creating trust), so too is lying (manipulating others for gain). What gain? Myriad targets come to mind—possessing power, controlling others, defrauding for profit, obtaining some personal advantage or, dare I say, getting elected to public office.

So, if one of these twisted fabulists inhabits your life, it’s shields up. For, as Stephen King noted, “The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.”

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