The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-09-28
The Habitual Liar
ny "a. AppINGroN BRUCE
Author % The Riddle OF Person
6iity. Psychology and
Parenthood. etc.

Two men We're talking about a
third said one of them
Tie is such q liar that YOU can't
believe "a word he SAYS He dlstorts
and eNaggtrates everything
To listen 90 him you would think
be- has don, The most wundegu
things but pin him down 20 dates
and details and you viii always nnd
he is lying.
Yet there is no apparent motive
for ihis He has nothing 20 gaia b,
o. The man must be diseased
Of certainty. habitual ,ying Is
often the symptom OF q disease But
DO lis seldom as motiveless ass ~ may
seem There is a purpose IN 10 al
teit perhaps purpose unrecognized
by he liar himself
To illustrate let me cite a case
from recent medical experience.
bringing out clearly ne basic mo
tive in much habiUM lying
Some months ago there vas com.
mitted 90 a Scotch asylum for the
insane o Young man az 20. alleged 10
have attempted suicide while pa
tieni ia general hospital
In giving his history % the asylum
authorities he stated that be Vas
me only surviving son OF wealthy
parents that ne had run away TO
Canada that be had enlisted ia a
Canadian regiment and bad gone
with his regiment 20 France
There he continued. he had taken
part M seyera, important cnsdke-
meute ANA had eyenuall1 been
gascd he had then been sent
go London 10 rccuuerate, and from
London 20 Aberdeen.
Tits story was -Oherent. cIrCum
tauual. and Joid Niih an air OF
randor But on Investigation it vas
found 20 be absolutely false
The young man had never been IA
either canada o. France tie was
nor the son OF wealthy parents ON
thc contrary. he was The illcglumato
son ~ servant girl
ne had been an errand boy and a
hotel page RE had been unable ~
hold any position long ON The cur
break OF the NAT De- had tried 20 en-
h-f o a British regiment. bur had
been rejected
Later he had managed 20 secure
acceptance by another regiment
Hlt he was Inefficient and insubo..
cinatc Other soldiers leased bin
lhen hc began 20 have convulsNe
attacks
Taken 20 a hospital ne was found
Tne morning With TIE Nings Of b s
pajsma Ted around hts neck This
led 20 he belief that he bad tried
to Kill himself and his commi'fsl 10
'he asylum followed
let m reality be- VAS neither sui.
oidai nor insane he was merely a
victim 90 hysteria
His commissions his seeming
suicidal attempt. and his pathoiogl
cal lylng were an rooted hjs Dis
ease al had iheir oriJn 10 au $50
normal craving 10 attract attention
and gain sympathy
Thes were what Psychologists call
defense reac'Iona and we're ar
gned 20 help The poor follow con
rsi no only from oth,vs bat from
h.msof his profound inferiority.
Discovering thfs the attending
phy cIan soon We're anle ru cure
him bF sociological means he
was sent from thc asylum with .
new point O. view and a saner our
look on lse
Many nabUal liar perhaps moss
habtfual liars are persons like this
They are interiors who vaguely
appreciate their Dfeu0nt. suucnr
'ciouslY depiore and roeen ~. and
Nl0gnr TO- Che opposite extreme.
cf ty moana oi l.es 70 convnea
'.emscitcs Hul others t0af rhe} ac
tual'v arr gporOr beings
What fheT need Is mo- condemna
zion ard punishment buf pity sd
medical treatment