Why does Trump lie so much?

[Mike Sales]

Radio 4 programme on now with above title.
17:30 - 17:54 Sat.7th.

[further]

Cos he is a Cnut

[Mick F]

King Cnut?

King of England from 1016 to 1035.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnut_the_Great

I could have moderated your disguised swearing of course.

[Psamathe]

Radio 4 programme on now with above title.
17:30 - 17:54 Sat.7th.

I missed the live broadcast but searched out the podcast and have downloaded it. Looks like a series covering quite a few interesting subjects (I've downloaded several other episodes as well).

Ian

[100%JR]

Cos 'im a cnut innit

[Stradageek]

Because it's what he needs to resort to to try and sound impressive at all times. Essential if you are a narcissist with an inferiority complex to match you stature.

My father was the same, in any conversation he would say whatever he believed would make him look most impressive to any available audience. e.g.

My father "Where are you from"
Response "Canada"
My father "Oh yes I recognise the accent, I've lived there" (he never did)
Response "Where did you live"
My father "Here and there" (daring the responder to embarrass them both by questioning further)

It then became such a habit that he even began to believe he wasn't lying

Bob Woodward's book 'Fear' is most enlightening. To quote from the book -

"In the political back-and-forth, the evasions, the denials, the tweeting, the obscuring, crying "Fake News", the indignation, Trump had one overriding problem that Dowd knew but could not bring himself to say to the president: "Your a f****** liar".

[Bonefishblues]

Worth a listen or not?

[Mike Sales]

Worth a listen or not?

I found it interesting and revealing.

[Audax67]

Because it's what he needs to resort to to try and sound impressive at all times. Essential if you are a narcissist with an inferiority complex to match your stature.

This. Essentially, he lies for two reasons: firstly, to gain an advantage of some kind, e.g. denigrate an opponent or secure a contract; and secondly, because he's put his foot in it and he can't be seen to admit it. At the most, he'll find someone else to blame for misinforming him.

Of course, his supporters don't mind. They consider lying a legitimate tactic. BoJo and Bolsonaro do the same: £350 million/week or NGOs setting fire to the Amazon, it's all fine to them because half of them are thugs, half of them are thick (the two subsets overlap) and the top dogs are chancers and borderline crooks who make pots of money out of the wreckage.

[Stradageek]

From the programme:

"He believes most of his lies because he is deeply ignorant", that's scary

Also frightening is the fact that most Americans expect politicians to lie so it's a non-issue, as long as they have a job, are getting wage rises and their stock options are appreciating. If this all went south, of course, you can be sure Trump will blame the immigrants, the Chinese etc. and retain power.

I'm looking forward to the next programme - How do we stop him!

Any suggestions, or do have to wait for a major coronary?

[Cunobelin]

The problem for me has been an insufficient challenge from the Media, especially in the early stages.

Every time that there was an adverse story, it was shouted down as "Fake News" and was allowed to get away with it.

With the Map fiasco and current reporting things have changed, but too little and too late

What is more worrying is that it is entering UK Politics as well

[Bonefishblues]

The problem for me has been an insufficient challenge from the Media, especially in the early stages.

Every time that there was an adverse story, it was shouted down as "Fake News" and was allowed to get away with it.

With the Map fiasco and current reporting things have changed, but too little and too late

What is more worrying is that it is entering UK Politics as well

I really don't think that's correct. There has been a huge amount of challenge and the presentation of facts. Trouble is that there's a substantial minority of the population which simply won't listen to that because they either choose not to, or do actively believe Trump and the whole edifice he's built of a conspiracy against the people (of whom he is the sole champion) by the media.

[Cunobelin]

Map Gate

[Audax67]

I just listened to the R4 programme. Fascinating. What I take away from it is that he's simply the distilled essence of US politics. As H.L.Mencken put it:

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

Thx for the R4 reference, Mike.

[Audax67]

Map Gate

Nice.