Outrageous, contemptible and—let’s face it—endlessly fascinating, the lies of Rep.-elect George Santos (R-New York) are also instructive, about both human psychology and American culture. As psychiatrist Charles V. Ford explained in “Lies!, Lies! : The Psychology of Deceit”—a 1996 book that seems destined for perpetual relevance—phonies like Santos exploit people’s tendency to treat familiar stories less skeptically than original ones. Not only did he play against type as a gay Republican, Santos also held himself out as a grandson of Ukrainian Jewish Holocaust survivors. Some are blaming Santos’ election win on insufficient local media coverage or opposition research.

Source: Washington Post January 17, 2023 02:50 UTC