Liars and Bullshitters

I still remember the first time I ever saw Donald Trump on television. I had heard of him before but I had never paid any attention to him. I believe, this was some time after his unsuccessful attempt to win the Republican nomination for president. He appeared on a national television talk show and told the audience that he had absolute proof that President Obama was born outside the United States, thus making his recent elections illegitimate. He claimed to have proof and said he would reveal it soon. I was quite surprised, never really have paid attention to what I later learned was the birther conspiracy theory.

Because, at the time I knew so little about Trump I took his claims seriously. I wondered what would happen when Trump revealed the truth. After all, Obama was already president.

Of course Trump never appeared with the truth. He promised that the day of revelation would come soon. Of course, that day, like the day he promised to reveal his income tax returns, also never arrived.

By then I realized Trump was not a liar he was a bullshitter.  By that I mean someone who did not just fail to tell the truth (that’s a liar). He didn’t care about the truth at all. Whether a statement he made was true or false never makes any difference to him. All that matters is whether or not a statement is convenient to him at the time. He is truly indifferent to the truth. That is a bullshitter.

 

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