Opinions by Jack: President Münchhausen and other Tall Tales

You have probably heard of Münchhausen Syndrome or its variation Münchhausen Syndrome by Proxy, where the sufferer lies about either personal illnesses or illnesses of individuals close to them in order to generate sympathy or attention to themselves. Well, the reference name “Münchhausen” was loosely based on an actual person, one Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen.

You see the real Münchhausen, was born in 1720 Germany. While generally considered an honest man, he was famous for his storytelling ability where he could enthrall guests with tall tales of his travels in Russia. He famously married his second wife who was 57 years his junior. He was 74 and she was 17. Therefore, we have a connection to Russia, an ability to tell tall tales, and a penchant for younger women. Whom can you think of with a similar pedigree?

The real-life Münchhausen was then the basis for an even more extravagant fictional character created by a writer, scientist, and con artist, Rudolf Raspe. This fictional Baron von Münchhausen rode a flying cannonball, traveled to the moon, was swallowed by a giant fish, fought a 40’ crocodile, and used laurel tree branches to fix his horse when the animal was cut in two. The good Baron relates each tale in a manner wherein he appears to believe every word, no matter how inconsistent they become, and he is indifferent to disbelief he encounters in others. Hmmmm!

Baron von Munchhausen Rides a Cannonball

Therefore, our own President Münchhausen, can generously thought to be continuing the tradition of telling amusing tall tales. In American folklore, we have stories of Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Babe the Blue Ox, Sasquatch, Pecos Bill, and the Lone Ranger. The only problem we have here is that, our President Münchhausen isn’t telling tall tales for amusement wherein sane individuals easily recognize their absurdity; he is actually fooling something just south of 40% of the American public. Approximately 10% of the remainder simply recognize the falsity of the narrative but elect to either justify the statements with circuitous logic or to just ignore their existence. The other 50% recognize the foul stench accompanying such a huge mound of bullshit.

Falsehoods uttered to deceive or change opinions and perceptions can no longer be considered to be tall tales but must be called by their true name, lies. We, the American public, have come to realize and accept that politicians lie rather effortlessly during what we call campaign rhetoric. We further realize that once they are elected to office, they will expectedly stretch, spin, bend, and twist, the truth like Gumby, to make a point. Lying for no perceived reason however boldly enters an area, to paraphrase the Star Trek opening, "where no man has gone before."

On the TV series Seinfeld, George Costanza (played by Jason Alexander) said, “It’s not a lie if you believe it.” Adolf Hitler (played by Adolf Hitler) said, “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” Some individuals, like Robert Ripley, turned lying into an art form. His Ripley’s Believe It or Not, let you trust your lying eyes or resort to common sense. Then there was Harry Gerguson, born an orphan in New York, who throughout his life claimed to be Michael Romanoff (of the royal Russian Romanov dynasty). He used his invented royal credentials to open a Hollywood restaurant, enroll in Harvard, and to make many celebrity friends. His credo: stick to the lie, and eventually people might find the whole thing charming.

Our own Liar-in-Chief is different from his presidential predecessors in that he lies for no reason at all. Previous residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have lied to protect themselves from some perceived harm. He, by exception, seems to be lying to gain personal attention or to appear more admirable. Even his self-harming lies seem to satisfy some internal need. As long as he has unwavering support from his Republican base, he will suffer no direct consequence from his actions.

As a medical condition, it is called pseudologia fantastica, pathological lying, or mythomania. An individual with this condition lies habitually and for no reason at all. Some therapists believe individuals may develop this habit as a result of living in an environment where the practice of deception is an advantage. Many compulsive liars have no ulterior motive for lying and they will tell lies that result in personal damage. Even after their falsehoods have been exposed, people who lie compulsively may still have great difficulty admitting the truth.

Compulsive lying is commonly tied to Narcissism. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a person suffering from NPD or Narcissistic Personality Disorder will often exhibit many of the following symptoms: