# Should accusations of gaslighting be treated as accusations of lying? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 9, 2025, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-accusations-of-gaslighting-be-treated-as-accusations-of-lying/1018149 "2025-05-09T12:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 59
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-accusations-of-gaslighting-be-treated-as-accusations-of-lying/1018149/59 "2025-05-14T19:38:29Z")
But, let’s say that that was such a convenient counter example to my post that I think that you just made it up. You are telling me that a teacher believed this stuff about litter boxes? Shouldn’t teachers know better than that? It does seem fairly farfetched that not only would someone who was in the teaching profession believe something so stupid, but would also randomly tell it to you, a random person at a conference. Now, I’m not saying that I don’t believe you here, as I know that not all teachers are as well informed, but what if I didn’t? Would you accept that I think that your story is fabricated? Does this improve our discourse? > [@Intersectionality and the Oppression Pyramid](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersectionality-and-the-oppression-pyramid/1018016/172): > > Your brother’s anecdote just can’t be taken seriously. It never happened. For instance, here. This is a story about a teacher that did something stupid. A poster does not believe that a teacher would do something like that, and claims that the story is fabricated. Is that the sort of discourse that you think should be acceptable? If so, then great. But I do find it extremely tiresome, personally. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Gaslighting someone rarely consists of accusing someone of lying. It usually consists of accusing them of an overactive imagination. “I’m not saying you are lying, I’m saying you are making that up.” I’m honestly not seeing the daylight here. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > But a key element is that the gaslighter _knows_ that the person is correct. If I deny someone’s claim, _and I genuinely believe they’re wrong_, there’s no way I’m gaslighting them. But what about when you have no reason to believe that they are wrong other than you want them to be? --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-accusations-of-gaslighting-be-treated-as-accusations-of-lying/1018149)._