3/7/2007

Liar Defined
Commentary by Chip Bertino

A liar. You may not even know you are in the presence of one.  There is no universal profile that makes it easy to pick one out in a crowd.  They certainly don't hold up signs, they're too smart for that.  There are a few basic characteristics they all share: arrogance, smugness, self righteousness and a lack of respect for anyone but themselves.  They hold fast to a belief they are the smartest person in the room and have the deft ability to shift blame at the most opportune time to save their backsides or salvage their reputations.

Admittedly there are different levels of not telling the truth.  There's Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, there's "yes honey, you look wonderful in that dress," and there's, "gee officer, I didn't know I was speeding."  These are more reflexive responses and don't necessarily qualify someone as a liar because they do not go to the core of who a person is or what they represent.

No the character for whom you really have to watch out, is the one who is a systemic liar.  Someone who practices so much, so intently, that he has refined lying to an art.  These are the people you really have to guard against.  They are good at what they do. They are able to come across as so genuine, so empathetic that at first you don't realize they are pulling the wool over your eyes while picking your pocket.  These liars have so honed their craft that they have struck a delicate balance, sprinkling in just enough credibility to make their lies appear invisible.  Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.  Except at least the medicine is supposed to be good for the one taking it; with liars, nothing good happens except a rotten, hollow feeling that lingers.

Liars are the first ones to offer up apologies when caught.  "I don't know how that happened," "I didn't know;" and, "That was a mistake, I should have known better."  Sounds credible (liars know this) and many times it is, until a pattern is perceived.  Then it's a predicable outcome.  You may as well buy some popcorn, prop your feet up and wait for the climax.  Wait for it.  Wait for it.  Ah, there it is.

There is no doubt that liars prosper.  They circulate in all walks of life: business, government, the media, the medical profession and on the playground.  They are most dangerous when they believe they have a captive and gullible audience.  They'll do or say anything believing that by the time people pick up on their, shall we say, little discrepancies, they'll be on to the next thing or most people will have forgotten what they said  in the first place.

Liars, especially clever liars, assume they have the exclusive franchise on facts, figures, and the ultimate weapon, use of the English language.  They are masterful at parsing words, sounding authoritative without saying anything credible.

Liars can easily find cohorts.  The old saying it takes one to know one is never more true than when it comes to liars attracting supporters or sycophants.  Liars can often find accomplices who are willing to sell their souls in order to enhance their careers, their businesses or their social status.  The accomplices are just as bad, just as filthy with slime but they don't realize it often times or they just don't care.  They're just happy believing they are "in the know."  They'll do the bidding for the liar happily, gladly with the great hope that like a puppy that has gone outside to do its business, they'll be rewarded by getting their bellies scratched.  Good boy.  Good boy.

There are times when a liar has manipulated himself into a position to hold sway over other, usually rational, usually honest, fair people.  So persuasive is the liar that those who associate with this person are held captive, ignoring their better senses fearing retribution or ridicule.  It is not an enviable position for them because in time, they are just as coated with mud or worse, for whether they realize it or not, they are swimming in a cesspool. 

Liars worship at many altars: self importance, pride, malevolence, greed, arrogance and chicanery to name just a few.  They sacrifice credibility, instead venerating manipulation and bullishness to accomplish objectives.

Just as surely that liars can succeed, true also is the fact that once detected and exposed liars, and all those with whom they associate, are never quite able to again grasp and wield the scepter of good will and respectability.

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