When the Hero Reveals as a Liar and Possible Sociopath

I’ll admit, student of psychology and keen observer of human nature that I am, I completely missed it.

I missed Lance Armstrong’s true nature. I believed him. Sociopath and liars are quite convincing and they can play the hero card all too well. I know that and still…

I wanted to believe. I wanted this spunky, cancer survivor to be superman.

He was quite adept at the lying too. He was outraged each time accusations were made. I think a true mark of a sociopath is one who can convince us he is someone else.

It isn’t hard for me to believe that one of my sports heroes – an unbelievably disciplined and hard working athlete – doped. It is all too common in sports where the stakes get higher all the time, and of course there’s the money that talks so loudly when you get into superstar realm.

It’s just that he had me personally convinced for the longest time. I was fooled along with millions of others. I wanted to believe him I guess.

In further analyzing his entire story, I realized a few things. He cheated and then left his wife for someone famous. He left that one after a bit too. Perhaps this was a hint of his true self that was to be revealed later. But it does say that he lies well.

And Lance kept lying. And kept doing it well. The swell of public opinion was always firmly in his court. The facade started crumbling when his best friends and teammates started telling the truth. Most of us thought THEY were the liars. That’s how good at lying Lance was.

That whole US Postal Service racing team that was the pride of our country has been disgraced and none more so that the top dog, Lance Armstrong. What a matter of shame he has brought to our country and his sport. They all were complicit. They are all an embarrassment.

Yes, it is true that possibly, probably, most others involved in this grueling sport do the same yet somehow hide it well enough not to be discovered. Not Yet anyway. And it is true that most superhuman athletes of the Lance Armstrong variety in the last many years have been revealed after time to not be supermen, but super supplement-ers. The list grows longer all the time.

For me though, it’s like hearing that Michael Phelps doped. I just can’t wrap my mind around someone cheating so disgracefully to win,  who I have put on the highest pedestal as a hero.

So now Lance Armstrong is a disgrace instead of a national hero. I just have to stop being so naive.

4 comments

  • Can I just say what a relief to uncover someone that really knows what they are
    discussing over the internet. You certainly understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important.

    More and more people have to look at this and understand this side of your story.

    I was surprised you’re not more popular because you certainly have the gift.

  • Cheryl Crow was on to him!

  • When George Hincapie gave it up, I knew Lance was lying. What a disappointment, as I had stuck up for him, so many times. I wanted to believe Lance, he had done so much for cancer patients and survivors. When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, we went to the Livestrong site and ordered some materials. Within days, a huge binder came with tons of information – all free of charge. I don’t understand, the having to win at any cost, mentality. When I was searching for a game app, in the Apple App store, I couldn’t believe how many cheating apps there were for games and how many people use them!! Sad, very sad 🙁

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