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[ENTP] Do ENTPs Often Lie or Stretch the Truth?

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Ginkgo

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Not to be derogatory, but I'm wondering if "making things up" is a common trait among ENTPs. My best friend is an ENTP, and every time I talk with him, he says something that sounds spectacular. When I was younger and more gullible, I believed him, but now my N functions can see right through it.

He will often fight to the death to preserve his little story, so I like to interrogate him about it so he ends up looking like a jackass instead of yelling at me. I often visualize him getting tangled up in his contradictory web of lies. :D

Has anyone else had these experiences? I really do love this trait about ENTPs because it allows them to be so creative. If you stuck an ENTP and an INFP in the same room, they would generate some of the best ideas ever. Unfortunately, most of them would never come to fruition. ;)
 

SerengetiBetty

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Hmmmm.... good question. I think many of us are prone to exaggeration and hyperbole but usually that's just as a witty for some point that we are debating...

as for outright lying, I don't know.. But my guess is that ENTPs wouldn't do it more than any other type. People lie usually because they want to gain something from the presentation of the falsehood, and as far as I know, all individuals of all types want something.
 

Lauren Ashley

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Many definitely do exaggerate. The exaggerating is not always bad as it makes their stories/ideas more colorful. The lying, however, is always annoying. ExFJs I know are also prone to this.
 
G

Ginkgo

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People lie usually because they want to gain something from the presentation of the falsehood, and as far as I know, all individuals of all types want something.

Yes. To the best of my abilities, all I can conclude is that he seeks attention or just a good laugh when he does it.

He is also quite apt at forming arguments, and even making mental work-arounds.

For example, a few years back his dad told him "Hey Michael, it's Thursday! You know what that means?"

A few hours later, his dad asked him why he hadn't taken out the garbage. Mike's argument was "You told me it was Thursday. You never said anything about trash."

Of course Mike knew what his dad was implying, but he was just trying to find excuses. :p
 

SerengetiBetty

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Ok what type of lies are we speaking of ... factual munchausenesque lies OR hypothetical lies? Not sure if you know what I mean but a factual lie would be like saying that he's done something he hasn't .
 

BlahBlahNounBlah

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Not to be derogatory, but I'm wondering if "making things up" is a common trait among ENTPs. My best friend is an ENTP, and every time I talk with him, he says something that sounds spectacular. When I was younger and more gullible, I believed him, but now my N functions can see right through it.

He will often fight to the death to preserve his little story, so I like to interrogate him about it so he ends up looking like a jackass instead of yelling at me. I often visualize him getting tangled up in his contradictory web of lies. :D

Has anyone else had these experiences? I really do love this trait about ENTPs because it allows them to be so creative. If you stuck an ENTP and an INFP in the same room, they would generate some of the best ideas ever. Unfortunately, most of them would never come to fruition. ;)



Sometimes the spectacular thing is true. We tend to become involved in bizarre situations because we take a lot of risks.

Sometimes I just want to joke. I always clear up the confusion after I've gotten the (hilarious) reaction I wanted. Also, sometimes people can't spot joking, so I can see this being confused for lying.


But I'd actually say I'm the opposite of a liar. I tell the truth even when I probably shouldn't, and this causes problems sometimes.
 

BlahBlahNounBlah

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Alternate point: We're forgetful, so this can also look like deliberate lying when it's actually a mistake.
 
G

Ginkgo

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I could find a countless number of anecdotes.

For instance, last week he told me that he had constructed a full metal suit of body armor. Then I patronizingly asked him "Where did you get it?" A slight pause.

"The internet."

Afterword I burst out laughing.


This other time he came to the hospital after I had broken my ankle. For some reason he brought a 6 pack of beer and an Xbox 360. Of course, alcohol was not allowed on the premises, and one of the nurses informed a security guard that Mike had alcohol on his breath.

Not too long after that, the director of the hospital came in and asked him to leave. She asked him to call a ride home since he was a little bit tipsy.

But instead, he called his own message inbox so that it would appear as a legitimate number on the caller ID of the hospital phone. He then somehow drove home himself after pretending to walk across the street to a Circle K.

The whole thing was insanely elaborate, and I'm sorry if my story doesn't seem entirely coherent.
 

poppy

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I know one ENTP who lies, and two who don't (beyond exaggerating and hyperbole--which is fine with me). I don't suppose there's a great type correlation with the preference to lie, but ENTPs seem to be predisposed to being good at it.
 

BlahBlahNounBlah

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I could find a countless number of anecdotes.

For instance, last week he told me that he had constructed a full metal suit of body armor. Then I patronizingly asked him "Where did you get it?" A slight pause.

"The internet."

Afterword I burst out laughing.


This other time he came to the hospital after I had broken my ankle. For some reason he brought a 6 pack of beer and an Xbox 360. Of course, alcohol was not allowed on the premises, and one of the nurses informed a security guard that Mike had alcohol on his breath.

Not too long after that, the director of the hospital came in and asked him to leave. She asked him to call a ride home since he was a little bit tipsy.

But instead, he called his own message inbox so that it would appear as a legitimate number on the caller ID of the hospital phone. He then somehow drove home himself after pretending to walk across the street to a Circle K.

The whole thing was insanely elaborate, and I'm sorry if my story doesn't seem entirely coherent.



Your friend is funny. :D
 

Qre:us

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Sometimes the spectacular thing is true. We tend to become involved in bizarre situations because we take a lot of risks.

Sometimes I just want to joke. I always clear up the confusion after I've gotten the (hilarious) reaction I wanted. Also, sometimes people can't spot joking, so I can see this being confused for lying.


But I'd actually say I'm the opposite of a liar. I tell the truth even when I probably shouldn't, and this causes problems sometimes.

+1

When I was a kid, I used to lie because I loved story-telling or seeing people's reaction to fantastical stories or stupid lies like I had a sibling but they died (cuz I didn't want to be an only child). Or, in Gr 6, telling my best friend (still bfs to this day), that a dude liked her and wanted a love letter and pics from her, and for my amusement, seeing her give her best photos and these flowery poetry for 'him', with perfumed and lipstick-kissed notes, etc. And, how she'd bat her eyelashes when she met him at a party after, to her puzzlement at his puzzlement and hairy eyeballs towards her, like, wtf is up with this girl. :doh: Dumbass shyte like that. But, then, I grew up, understood conscience over own amusement. And, all was right with the world.

I don't think lying is type-dependent.
 

SerengetiBetty

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I could find a countless number of anecdotes.

For instance, last week he told me that he had constructed a full metal suit of body armor. Then I patronizingly asked him "Where did you get it?" A slight pause.

"The internet."

Afterword I burst out laughing.


This other time he came to the hospital after I had broken my ankle. For some reason he brought a 6 pack of beer and an Xbox 360. Of course, alcohol was not allowed on the premises, and one of the nurses informed a security guard that Mike had alcohol on his breath.

Not too long after that, the director of the hospital came in and asked him to leave. She asked him to call a ride home since he was a little bit tipsy.

But instead, he called his own message inbox so that it would appear as a legitimate number on the caller ID of the hospital phone. He then somehow drove home himself after pretending to walk across the street to a Circle K.

The whole thing was insanely elaborate, and I'm sorry if my story doesn't seem entirely coherent.

I guess technically these are lies,but I don't consider them lies in the insidious sociopathic sense of evil manipulation.


Sometimes the spectacular thing is true. We tend to become involved in bizarre situations because we take a lot of risks.

So true. I had a particularly harrowing but entertaining experience in Paris once.When I got home I told some of my friends like 65% of what happened (leaving out stuff like the gypsy who stopped me in the middle of the street to tell me someone had cursed me by burying a clump of my hair in a graveyard or a guy at the airport who was trying to get me to join his stable of prostitutes) and I could tell they were like "yeah right". I couldn't help but think,oh if you only knew the stuff I was leaving out :yim_rolling_on_the_




When I was a kid, I used to lie because I loved story-telling or seeing people's reaction to fantastical stories or stupid lies like I had a sibling but they died (cuz I didn't want to be an only child).

OMG same here! I remember in kindergarten for some reason they showed us Monkee reruns :huh: Anyway I had everyone in my class convinced that they lived at my house. Every day I came in they ask what adventures we got into the day before. OOOH it's nice having an eager audience, isn't it? :D
 
G

Ginkgo

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You guys are entertaining. :)

And of course, he would often cite hypothetical scenarios about video games and other geeky jargon.

When I was a kid, I used to lie because I loved story-telling or seeing people's reaction to fantastical stories or stupid lies like I had a sibling but they died (cuz I didn't want to be an only child).

^ That is exactly like Mike. He would always be amused at the reactions of other children. Even more amusing was that sometimes other people would try to "out-lie" him. Meanwhile, Mike could see my suspicion through the grin on my face.

Oh man, good memories.
 

entropie

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I'ld rather like to ask the question: what is the possibility for a totally insane person to know the truth
 

Qre:us

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OMG same here! I remember in kindergarten for some reason they showed us Monkee reruns :huh: Anyway I had everyone in my class convinced that they lived at my house. Every day I came in they ask what adventures we got into the day before. OOOH it's nice having an eager audience, isn't it? :D

:D It was a double-edged sword. I loved a rapt audience, it fed my juvenile ego. But, at the same time:

^ That is exactly like Mike. He would always be amused at the reactions of other children. Even more amusing was that sometimes other people would try to "out-lie" him. Meanwhile, Mike could see my suspicion through the grin on my face.

Oh man, good memories.

My rationalization: It was a measuring stick for me to evaluate those who were 'too stupid', hence, easily fooled, meaning, they 'deserved' to be lied to for not calling my bluff. Life is not kind to stupidity, so why should I be? I'd rather laugh at them, and amuse myself with their brain cuz they surely weren't making use of it themselves.

Again, ^ when I was a idiotic kid. I've grown up, swear....:jesus:

Btw, in my personal experience, INFPs were my most fave targets. Their cute little daydreaming minds. Ripe for the picking. :newwink:
 
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