The nature of truth or wanting to believe the lie? · 6:06pm Nov 17th, 2013
It's a dreary Sunday afternoon, the kind that makes me want to stay indoors and not do much. There's nothing on TV, don't feel like watching a movie and I've already hit the gym so here I am with a beer getting all introspective.
The internet is a fascinating place. It's a place where you can go anywhere, see just about anything and in truth be anybody you want to be. After all on here nobody knows your real name and unless you slip up at some point there's no real reason why you would be suspected. So it strikes me as odd why it is that certain people stick to their stories even when the truth is staring them in the face or they've admitted it previously and are now denying what they've done. Theater Critic in all his incarnations was like that. I'd be surprised if he was truly gone from this site but if he is here he'll slip up eventually.
No, this brings to mind two individuals. I won't mention any names but the more observant of you might know of these people already.
The first is a strange duck in that in a lot of his claims I don't know if he's talking specifically about himself or his OC. They're both musicians to some degree and DJs but he's made some outrageous claims. Previously when his lies were found out he'd delete the incriminating blog posts or delete the post that outed him and then block the person from his channel. Simple but effective but now he's just leaving the posts as they are it's almost as if he's trying to show that he doesn't care and yet in the past he's gone ballistic when he was found out.
The second is just a straight up liar. He's an 18 year old trying to pass himself off as a 34 year old special forces dude. It's actually pretty funny when you get down to it that some guy stationed in Afghanistan would take the time to browse Fimfiction and roleplay much less play minecraft. But then I've never been in the army so I really know jack about what happens there. But that doesn't mean that this guy is telling the truth. After all, when you have a previous account on Fimfiction using practically the same name that states you're only 18 the story starts to fall apart.
But what is possibly worse than this are the people that still follow and support these individuals. What is their game and reason for doing so? If somebody I knew was effectively lying to my face and claiming to be somebody they weren't I'd confront them about it. I mean I don't put on any airs or act in a way online that is different than how I am in real life so why tolerate that from somebody you know?
I guess that's my question. Why is it that when confronted with the truth, people are more likely to continue to believe the lie than face the reality of the situation? Is it comfort or a desire to believe in something that makes them happier?
I'd be interested in people's thoughts on this.
I don't even see the point of lying about your identity online unless it pertains to information that can be used to stalk you in real life. And the people idiotic enough to be caught in their web of lies, well, I'd laugh at them.
People like to believe lies. They want to think they're part of something big or know someone famous/amazing. When people are confronted with the truth they'd rather deny it in favor of the lie continuing to believe that something utterly amazing is going on in their life and that they are truly a part of it instead of risking boring monotony instead of actually trying to be amazing themselves.
The first chapter of Blood Meridian shows this well when the judge accuses a honest priest of being a pedophile rapist and everyone is so quick to believe him for want of being the good guy dispensing justice. Afterwards when the Judge tells the group that the preacher was never any of those things they laughed it off and acted as if he was telling a joke.
The truth always hits hard and people don't like that. Lies on the other hand, start out much softer, they can bring you comfort, but when the lie is revealed it hits you harder than the truth. So, People in their infinite wisdom deny what has hit them so hard (the truth) and cling tightly to that what was once so soft (the lie)
That's my take on it at least... even if it might not make sense to you.
1515739
I don't get it either which is why in part I made this blog. I understand how a person's life could lead them to want to pretend to be something bigger than they are but in the end they're just living a lie. I'd much rather be known for being an honest albeit very sarcastic person than a flat out liar.
1515749
There's an interesting study done that shows that if a person has been told something from a trusted source that is later on revealed to be a lie they are more likely to believe even more in the "lie" than they did before. Maybe that has something to do with it.
And yes, Blood Meridian is an excellent book.
1515820
It makes sense in a way but a successful lie means you need to remember it or else you can be called on it later on. I remember a guy back in high school who claimed to have a girlfriend that went to a different school. Nobody ever met her. Any attempt to meet her was thwarted. And he could never keep his story straight about her. By the end he was humiliated because instead of sticking to the truth by just not talking about this imaginary girl, he tried desperately to prove to everybody that she was real.
In the end he dropped out and went to another school. Go fig.