
<p>The more I hear of Congressman George Santos’ lies, they all seem to have one purpose – to make himself more important &#8230; more involved &#8230; more relevant … to others. ; </p>



<p>It is obviously to impress people. ; As I followed his story in the press – I suddenly realized that there are a lot of George Santoses in the world – but they usually do not gain the kind of positions that draw media attention to their prevaricating habit.</p>



<p>They lie to connect to others and to draw attention. ; I have known a number of such people. ; </p>



<p>We had a candidate for mayor of Chicago who claimed to have seen the alien bodies at Roswell. ; He said he was picked up while hitchhiking by President Kennedy – in the presidential limousine, no less. ; He claimed to be a multimillionaire businessman and would make major donations to other candidates. ; He made none. He once told me that the several “Remington bronzes” in his office were originals worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each. ; As a one-time antique dealer, I knew they were reproductions worth a couple hundred bucks, if that. ; Of course, he was a descendant of royalty. ; His fabrications were endless.</p>



<p>My son had a friend. ; A nice kid by all measures. ; But he told endless lies about himself in order to relate. ; No matter what subject you raised, he would tell of his experience – all made up.</p>



<p>I am not talking about a person telling a lie now and then. ; These types tell lies now AND then. ; And in most cases, their lies are easily disproved or absurd on the face of them. ; ;</p>



<p>I have come to appreciate that these types are not evil. ; They are pathetic. ; It does not take a psychiatrist to know that they suffer … really suffer … from low self-esteem. ; The lies are pathetic attempts to inflate their importance and/or to establish personal connections based on shared experiences, even if they are invented experiences. ; Ironically, those who create these lies are trying to be empathic – reinforcing or validating the other person’s statements.</p>



<p>The lies are not always for monetary gain. ; In the case of my son’s friend, he was eager to give people money or gifts – often picking up the tab. ; It was always a matter of ingratiation. ; He wanted people to like him for his generosity and his tales.</p>



<p>If confronted or challenged about the disinformation, I have found that the response is often merely a shrug, as if the lies are not important. ; Never an admission. ; ;</p>



<p>The phenomenon of serial lying among some folks has been captured in literature. ; The story of a fictional comedic German character, Baron von Munchausen, was based on his outrageously notorious lies about his exploits and accomplishments. ; There was also Walter Mitty, who placed himself in imagined situations completely out of character. ; These were fictional characters founded on human reality.</p>



<p>I think folks who are victimized – yes, victimized &#8212; ; into such creativity are more pathetic than sinister. ; The habit is founded in mental issues – and is almost always self-damaging.</p>



<p>Based on everything I have read about Santos – and all my experiences with such pervasive liars – I believe he is the victim of his own mental condition – a self-image and self-esteem he cannot live with. ; Ergo, the creation of the fictional person.</p>



<p>Having said all that, I am not saying that Santos’ lies should be ignored. ; Lies must still have consequences. ; And on any occasion where his lies were more malicious and may have led to criminal activities, the law must be consistent. ;</p>



<p>If Santos has violated the campaign finance laws … has embezzled or stolen money … the issue goes beyond chronic bullshitting. ; He must be held accountable. ; Those are separate issues from the constant fibs. ;</p>



<p>We will have to see how the various investigations play out. ; Personally, I do not believe that he should be forced out of Congress. ; I have never liked political leadership nullifying the manifest will of the people – even if that will of the people was arguably based on deception. ; It is more likely, however, that voters supported him for his stand on the major issues – not his biography.  ; That is almost always the case. ; Unfortunately for Santos, it is the lies that make the biography relevant.</p>



<p> ;However… I do believe he should resign his seat. ; He can still vote according to the wishes of the folks who elected him. ; His staff can still perform constituent services. ; But … he has lost public confidence. ; The voters should get another chance to elect a replacement. ; Upon resignation, the New York Governor would have 10 days to announce a special election. ; That would be the best outcome for all concerned.</p>



<p>In the meantime, we should pity Santos as a person with obvious mental issues.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Santos is Not Evil … He is Sick
