# How do you deal with a compulsive liar? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927 "2005-04-25T00:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ur8it](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecd19e/32.png) [@ur8it](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ur8it)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927/21 "2005-04-25T23:20:54Z")
always consider them lying about everything they say, never trust em, ever! They’re also Academy Award Performers, keep that in mind when they turn on the tears, on cue, and oh yea, when they play dumb, “i have no idea… for FUCK sake, I really dont know what you’re talking about!!!” “compulsive” liars? Or PATHOLOGICAL liars? which is worse? hate those kind of fuckers. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927/22 "2005-04-25T23:36:48Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Is he any good at telling tall tales? > > If he is, I’d just chalk it up as cheap entertainment. There’s a guy like that in my class. No matter the topic of conversation, he has this incredible story to add. At first I wanted to dismiss him as a stupid liar, but it’s obvious that we’re not really meant to believe any of it. They’re just stories, to make us laugh. And he’s actually _really_ funny. But when it’s the real liars, who are trying to make themselves into more than they are, I give them extremely fake enthusiasm. “_Really_? No **way**! You did what? Tell me more!!!” Done in the proper “I actually don’t give half a damn” sarcastic voice, it usually shuts them up fast. ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927/23 "2005-04-25T23:45:40Z")
I say show him up. Counter the guy’s wild claims with some insane stories of your own. Make sure you sound real proud of yourself, too. Have props lying around - various medals; photoshoped, framed pictures of you hanging out with celebrities; Kate Moss’ phone number. See how insane you can make him. ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927/24 "2005-04-26T00:55:53Z")
> [@Grits and Hard Toast](#): > > I have a relative like the guy you work with. She is always saying she has been to places she hasn’t been, spends time with people she has never met, etc. So I do just the opposite of ignore. I act so very impressed, and want to know ALL the details. > > “You have been to the Louvre? How fortunate for you! Tell me, did it bother you when looking at the Mona Lisa to have all those guards standing around, with those big machine guns? I have heard others say that really surprised them to find the Mona Lisa protected by 8 armed guards and in such a huge room all by itself. What did you think about that? And what about the size of the Mona Lisa, everyone mentions how shocked they are when they see it in person. What were your feelings of the size of the picture?” > > She then starts to stutter and says yes, all those guards bothered her too, and it was in a big impressive room. And yes, the Mona Lisa is just HUGE, it certainly surprised her as well. Then she notices people looking at her funny, because they have heard the Mona Lisa is actually hard to find in a little out of the way place, and it is quite small. Then she will change the subject before I can ask anymore details she won’t know. > > She has learned I will remember what she says also. “Didn’t you say you met Jane Fonda when you were in California last spring? Or was it last fall?” She can’t remember when it was she said she met her, so she will change the subject, and go off to find someone else to impress. > > So instead of being annoyed by her, I make a game of it, and find it quite amusing now. Heh, that are great ideas, I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927/25 "2005-04-26T00:57:13Z")
> [@Burnt Sugar](#): > > Heh, that are great ideas, I love it. WTF? _those_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-deal-with-a-compulsive-liar/300927.md?page=1)