The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-09-28
The Habitual Liar
nv ~. ApDINGTpN BRUCE
Author 81 The Riddle OF Person
atty. +" Psychology and
Parenthood. etc.

Two men were talking about a
third said one OF them
he Is such liar that YOU can't
believe a word he says he distorts
and exaggerates everything.
ITO listen 60 him you would think
he has done the most WONDERFUL
things Rut pin him down 10 dates
and details and YOU viii Always nnd
hc is lying.
yet there Is no apparent motive
for this Ho has nothing 10 gain by
a. Iae man must be diseased
or certainty. habitual lying Is
often the symptom OF a disease. But
10 is seldom as motiyeless as Il may
seem. There IS q purpose In Il, al
belt perhaps purpose unrecogniEed
by the liar himself
To illustrate let me cite case
from recent medical experience.
bringing out clearly the basic mo-
tive in much habituA lying
Some months ago there was com
mitted 70 a Scotch asylum for the
insane a young man OF 20. alleged 10
have attempted suicide while a pa
uent In general hospital
In giving his history 10 the asylum
authorities he stated that he was
the only surviving son OF wealthy
parents, that he had run away 10
Canada. that he had enlisted In a
Canadian regiment and had gone
with his regiment TO France
There. he continued. he had taken
part in several important engage
ments aud had eventually been
gassed." He had then been sent
10 London 10 recuperate. and from
London TO Aberdeen.
His story VAS coherent. eircum.
stantiAl. and told with an air OF
csndor. But on Investigation II was
TOUnI 20 % absolutely false.
The young man had never been IN
either Canada or France He was
nor the son Of wealthy parents. On
the contrary. he was the iuegitimate
son 81 servant girl
He had been an errand boy and a
hotel page He had been unable 20
hold any position long On the out
break Of the war he had tried 70 en-
list "a British-regiment but had
been rejected
Later he had managed 20 secure
acceptance by another regiment.
But ne was inefficient and insubor-
dinate. Other soldiers leased him
Then he began 10 have convulsiye
attacks
Taken 20 hospital. he was found
one morning With the NinGs OF his
pajama tied around his neck This
red 20 the belief that he aad tried
% kill himself and his committal 20
the asy lum followed
Yet IN reality he was neither sur
ridal nor insane. he was merely
victim OF hysteria
Ills ccn,ulsions. bis secmingty
suicidal attempt and his PATHOLOGY.
cal lying were an rooted Ia THIS dis.
ease All had hcir ouJn in an ab.
normal craving 10 attract attention
and gain sympathy
They were what psychologists call
defense reactions and wore df-
sisned 70 help ne poor fellow con.
coal. no only from others bur from
himself his profound nferiority
Discovering 'h the attending
physicians soon wore ablc 20 cure
him by psychology means. He
was sent from The asylum With
new point o, view and a saner our
look on !ife
Many habitual liars perhaps most
habitual liars are persons Ike this
They are interiors Who vaguely
appreciate their nferogit,. sub,on
sciousiy Ceplore and resent N. and
swinging 20 tho opposite extreme.
seek hy means of lies 20 convince
themselves End others that they ac.
tually are superior beings
What they need is not condemna
ton and punishment bat pity aSd
Tedlcal treatment