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The Skinny on Fat Cats and Crashers
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Dr. Patricia A. Farrell
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ: The incredible breach of security, which allowed a couple whose home may be in foreclosure, who have multiple legal problems related to unpaid bills and other problems with their "socialite" pedigree, has all of us wondering about the crashing of the state dinner and this couple's hubris.
Who's to say the reports are right, but, if they are, it's just another example of people believing that you CAN tell a book by its cover. Take a look at Bernie Madoff. Yachts, Rolex watches, homes in the best places, multiple minks for his wife, incredible artwork and all of it was based on clever software which produced bogus trade and earnings reports. Bernie's celebrity even held the FTC auditors at bay.
Perhaps we should call this the Madoff Syndrome where someone hoodwinks everyone, including the Secret Service and the staff of the President of the United States. It's got to be better than they were "party crashers." This couple took it to the max and they have the pictures to prove it.
Fabricating fabulous pedigrees and manipulating others has been around for a long time, but what makes people do it? It probably happens around age 3 when kids still believe that the world revolves around them and that they can do no wrong.
In the past decade, we've seen research articles which point to the fact that there can be too high a sense of self-esteem and that this can lead to unrealistic expectations and social difficulties. It doesn't necessarily mean success in life and may, in fact, mean "do not pass go, but go directly to jail" in the world of Monopoly and just maybe the real world, too. These people believe they have a monopoly on effortlessly getting everything they crave and will gladly recreate their background, abilities, awards or whatever it takes to turn people's heads toward them. Ah, that ever-revered spotlight of celebrity.
Hollywood heads used to be turned by royalty and people in business may still feel that way. Otherwise, why would anyone try to conjure up a story about being related to some obscure middle-European royal family? Some people even hire someone to design coats of arms for them.
So, if you can't find a royal relative and you really don't have a great deal of money, or much money, act like you do. Play the role to the hilt; lease or borrow a car, rent some clothes or jewelry and begin crashing parties and being photographed with everyone who's anyone. Do your own PR and maybe everyone will really believe you are what you seem. But pumpkin time will come.
At the end of the day, you'll still know you worked for an airline or in a pawn shop and were truly engaging in The Imposter Syndrome. Only this time, it's not your sense of anxiety and inadequacy; it's the truth.
http://www.drfarrell.net
Who's to say the reports are right, but, if they are, it's just another example of people believing that you CAN tell a book by its cover. Take a look at Bernie Madoff. Yachts, Rolex watches, homes in the best places, multiple minks for his wife, incredible artwork and all of it was based on clever software which produced bogus trade and earnings reports. Bernie's celebrity even held the FTC auditors at bay.
Perhaps we should call this the Madoff Syndrome where someone hoodwinks everyone, including the Secret Service and the staff of the President of the United States. It's got to be better than they were "party crashers." This couple took it to the max and they have the pictures to prove it.
Fabricating fabulous pedigrees and manipulating others has been around for a long time, but what makes people do it? It probably happens around age 3 when kids still believe that the world revolves around them and that they can do no wrong.
In the past decade, we've seen research articles which point to the fact that there can be too high a sense of self-esteem and that this can lead to unrealistic expectations and social difficulties. It doesn't necessarily mean success in life and may, in fact, mean "do not pass go, but go directly to jail" in the world of Monopoly and just maybe the real world, too. These people believe they have a monopoly on effortlessly getting everything they crave and will gladly recreate their background, abilities, awards or whatever it takes to turn people's heads toward them. Ah, that ever-revered spotlight of celebrity.
Hollywood heads used to be turned by royalty and people in business may still feel that way. Otherwise, why would anyone try to conjure up a story about being related to some obscure middle-European royal family? Some people even hire someone to design coats of arms for them.
So, if you can't find a royal relative and you really don't have a great deal of money, or much money, act like you do. Play the role to the hilt; lease or borrow a car, rent some clothes or jewelry and begin crashing parties and being photographed with everyone who's anyone. Do your own PR and maybe everyone will really believe you are what you seem. But pumpkin time will come.
At the end of the day, you'll still know you worked for an airline or in a pawn shop and were truly engaging in The Imposter Syndrome. Only this time, it's not your sense of anxiety and inadequacy; it's the truth.
http://www.drfarrell.net
Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Patricia A. Farrell, Ph.D., LLC
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
