Or a thousand little lies, or a hundred, or …
When do you stop counting and begin to doubt the truthfulness of what a person says? I have seen patients over the years who fabricate so much they don’t know what the truth is.
On 1-10-06 the major news services reported a story questioning the authenticity of James Frey’s bestseller, A Million Little Pieces, currently No. 1 on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list.
The front page headline on the Life section in USA Today reads "Smoking Gun casts doubt on Frey’s ‘Pieces.’" TheSmokingGun.com’s article is entitled "The man who conned Oprah."
A Million Little Pieces (2003) is James Frey’s account of his six weeks of intensive rehab treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. Sales have soared to over 3.5 million copies after Oprah selected it one of her book club recommendations.
In his book Frey, 36, describes his criminal past that was associated with his alcohol and drug abuse. One example of distorting the facts, verified by both USA TODAY and TheSmokingGun.com, is that he described striking a cop with his car while drunk in 1992. He said his actions resulted in a melee. Interviews with the arresting officer, review of the legal documents, and verification by the local Ohio prosecutor all reveal that he was "polite, cooperative and quickly posted bond." Not quite a "mesmerizing story" as described on Oprah.com.
But is it necessary that all the facts be true? Is it not still a powerful story of addiction and recovery? There is no doubt that his book has inspired many people, and many have probably used it to help in their own recovery. So what difference does it make? Isn’t it just another example of sour grapes by Smoking Gun and "Oh goody, another controversy!" by the media?
Certainly exaggerating or embellishing to gild the lily is not as significant as Trudeau making up all kinds of crap in his book, "Natural Cures ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About." My biggest problem is once it is shown there are clear distortions of the facts, I’m left asking myself, "What part is true?" and "Why did he lie?"
The most obvious reason a person lies is to avoid repercussions or to profit in some positive way. Was it his life story that moved Oprah to tears, or was it his creative story telling?
A person who habitually lies to deceive and profit has at least some sociopath tendencies. Another reason a person habitually lies or makes up stories (fabrications) relates more to ADHD or Bipolar disorder. The truth is often routine, even boring. Some kids, teens or even adults who need more excitement realize that embellishing the story stirs up more excitement and is a natural stimulant for them. Embellishment can become a habit and in extreme cases, becomes a way of life.
What motivated James Frey? We don’t know, but I tell my patients the best way to understand behavior is to look at its consequences. In USA TODAY, 1-11-06, A Million Little Pieces was not only the top selling current book but also more than double the 2nd ranked book. Virtue has its own reward, but you may not be able to put it in the bank.
