Why do some people get a thrill/satisfaction out of lying?

i know this one guy who likes to lie just for the sake of lying. . he doesnt even have to lie. he just lies cause he likes to.

Why do some people get a thrill/satisfaction out of lying?
I'm not a very captivating person. This is because I generally deal in that which is real and true to a fault. I don't even embellish just a little bit. Consequently, I do not get that much satisfaction in social interactions with other people.





Social interaction is a lot more fun, if you lie. Plus, the liar is usually the life of the party!
Reply:Nice legs!





He lies because it gives him a feeling of being able to get a one up on people. I lied to you and you believed it; thus, I am smarter than you for being able to trick you. This is probably the way he thinks about it. By lying to you, he feels that he can elevate himself above you.
Reply:Cos the truth is usually





- ugly


- dissapointing


- an anti-climax


- boring
Reply:with some ppl, it's just a bad habit they have gotten in to
Reply:Maybe it is his way of keeping everything on a level playing field.
Reply:He is insecure with his natural ordinaryness, which most of us have most of the time, and wants the benefit that the out of the ordinary statement brings to him.





Some people grow out of it, in degrees, and some never do. All you can do is confront when you suspect a lie, and risk losing the friendship of someone like this. If continuously confronted, he may back away from you, or he may change.





Geno
Reply:some people are like that.... not very good as you will never know when they are telling the truth!!!!
Reply:It is probably the rush of creation... to make people believe or consider/duel in something. Sometimes it is to avoid a long painful explanation that has no purpose or consequence. When in unimportant situations I sometimes make up some whopper for entertainment... Eventually, and rather soon, I come clean! I do it to see how much people are willing to believe. Size them up...! And to entertain myself in their amazement. Sometimes, it gets pretty crazy as I keep on pushing it(It is funnier the crazier it gets)! Mostly, it becomes a subject of conversation after I purposely come clean and say I was just messing with "them". Clearly it is nothing that would cause people harm.


Eg.


1. I once convinced someone that I, at that time a 22 years old guy, had 4 kids. Each with a different woman, and they were all friends' wives... It was incredible that it took this person so long to call me on it! My response to their affront was a resoundingly joyous "damn right it is BS! Come on, what were you thinking? Look at me! I pose it eloquently without shame!"


Posed like a friendly joke played on their expense...


2. Someone you barely know and has no personal business with you asks why are you so quiet? The truth may be that you had a bad fight with your spouse that might lead to divorce. But you say you just have a headache, or something like that. It was none of their business and made no difference at all for them, but it kept you from further explanations of your personal life when you are already disturbed by the matter!
Reply:Maybe that is his passion to lie and lie. He lives in the world of liars. That is what ought him to be. Better be beggars than liars.
Reply:Ask senator Clinton. This would be her area of expertise after all.
Reply:i know a girl that lies for the sake of it. she has no reason for lying and doesnt do it to gain anything. just stupid lies sometimes like that she had mcdonalds for breakfast when she didnt. my and another friend have found out many times that she is lying but didnt bother confronting her, in the end we did and she still was adament that she was telling the truth and that other people we lying (this was a big lie we confronted her about). i think it is called "compulsive lying" when they are so used to lying to impress people that they make up things in their heads that havent actually happened and where they lie so much they start to beleive it themselves. they are living in paralell usiverses!
Reply:He might have a problem and he could need professional help. I guess it would be hard to convince a liar he needs help though, they'd be lying to themselves too.





I guess I could see how lying could be fun though. I mean take a look at the definition





1.a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.





It's like a game. Anyone who can regularly deceive someone (a good liar) is like someone who is good at chess. They basically have to out wit their opponent. I tell you a story you ask me questions about my story and I have to be one step ahead of you. Further, studies have shown that the brain works like seven times harder to tell a lie. That's probably why people do weird little things when they are lying (talking with their hands when they don't usually do or weird facial expressions or some other weird thing they don't usually do). I guess because more parts of the brain are activated at a time it could be chemical.. But, I'm not a psychologist or a Biologist or a brain surgeon so I couldn't say for sure. It does feel good to think though.
Reply:there's a saying that is really applicable in life that, "old habits die hard" that must be the reason why he lies so much. Its become so long ago that he continues to lie only for the benefit of pleasure within him. knowing that he messes with people and seeing their reaction is his own ecstasy as one might say. Its become his pasttime and it will not change unless you want it to and do something to do so.
Reply:He must not feel good of himself, to me he is insecure and wants to bring others down to his level, If he is lying bout yourself i would comfront him and tell him off. then not hang out with him and let others know he lies and maybe someday it will get back to him to realize how many ppl he has hurt with his lies.
Reply:They are teasers, they like being chased but not caught, because then, their game would be over and their life would not be fun . They kind of resemble a running smile.
Reply:Compulsive liars make for great writers.